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People and Things may not prove to be a fan favorite, but front man Andrew McMahon claims that this was not necessarily his intention.

“With People and Things, I wanted to make something honest and humble. My goal was to have as many classic songs in one place as possible without overthinking or overdoing it. As a result, I think there is something refined about this album, and for that I’m truly proud,” McMahon said in a recent blog post.

What People and Things lacks in depth musically, it makes up for in its pop-song quality. The majority of tracks on the record are upbeat and easy to listen to with the exception of “Restless Dream,” one of the album’s slower and more reflective tunes. The overall carefree, breezy quality allows the listener to imagine themselves on the sun-soaked beaches of California as opposed to land-locked Colorado.

To say that the album lacks depth in a lyrical sense, however, would be grossly unfair. The track “Hey Hey Hey” is McMahon’s final and triumphant acknowledgement of his struggle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2005.

With the simple but poignant refrain of: “Hey hey hey/We’re all gonna die/We’re all gonna die someday,” the song is a testament to McMahon’s new lease on life. Having stared into the face of death itself during his battle with leukemia, McMahon is more cognizant than ever of the preciousness and brevity of life.

In addition to “Hey Hey Hey,” other notable tracks on the record include “Television,” “My Racing Thoughts” and “Amy, I.”

With an overall impression of originality, “Amy, I” expresses the familiar sting of lost love with a degree of freshness. The guitar riffs are fun to listen to and the lyrics equally amusing as McMahon croons, “I can hear your bare feet on my bedroom floor/but Amy I never felt this kind of cold.”

Jack’s Mannequin kicks off its tour Thursday in Hartford, Conn. The band will play at the Ogden Theater in Denver on Oct. 21 with opening acts The Academy Is… and Lady Danville.