Rachael Yamagata’s second album, Elephants Teeth Sinking Into Heart, seems to parallel her life story and her bouts of depression and physical problems.The musician and songwriter splits her new effort into two CDs.

The first CD consists of nine songs, while the second has five tracks. “Elephants,” which opens the first CD, does a good job of setting up the rest of the record’s songs that dwell on heartbreak is exposed to when entering any relationship.

“Horizon” closes the first CD. However, “Horizon” is somewhat of a contrast to “Elephants” because it dwells on what comes after heartbreak and the search for what is right.

The first CD is very different from the second, which offers a somewhat different style and tempo.

Unlike the first CD’s emphasis on lyrics and the sorrow of heartbreak, the second CD is upbeat, loud and somewhat gritty.

The goal apparently is to establish a mood of triumph.The two parts of the album enable Yamagata to trace her own life’s heartbreak and triumphs through music.

She introduces some rather unorthodox sounds into her music in order to complement the mood and texture of the lyrics.

The slower and more beautiful of the songs have a much darker sound and offer several lush arrangements of phrasing. She reaches to sounds beyond music to make a point.

One such instance is the sound of rain beating down on a roof to continue the mood of her struggle and eventual triumph.

This is a very intimate CD that connects with the listener in a positive manner. Yamagata truly does a beautiful job of incorporating sounds and musical techniques to create various moods or ambiance.

The sound quality of the CD and the production value are excellent. Yamagata is a very talented individual and has truly established herself as a legitimate musician. Elephants Teeth Sinking Into Heart is certainly worth a listen.