When José González's debut album, Veneer, began to catch on in 2005-- two years after it was first issued-- part of its magic involved the long journey the Swedish/Argentine singer-songwriter's recordings had made. With so much time elapsed between those recordings, it's a little disappointing that the follow-up, five-track EP , sounds mostly like more of the same. The tightly double-tracked vocal fjords and sinuous finger-picking remain, as do González's lyrics, which stick mostly to Nick Drake's strangely suggestive universals: "It's warm in the blood/ Cold in the rain," he coos on erstwhile B-side "Down the Hillside", an incongruously chipper (for Gonzo) ditty about cemeteries. Another former flip, "Sensing Owls", slows the pace for a tralatitious take on mountaintops, coming-outs, and the lack of designated drivers. The biggest changes from are an increased use of hand percussion and less frequent bossa nova tinges, so hold onto your knitted hats.