Penners of “Kiss Me,” one of the last decade’s most recognizable songs, Sixpence None the Richer surprised legions of fans with the news of their break-up four years ago. Long-time fans were heartbroken, while newer fans lamented what could have been. Now, Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum have reunited and released My Dear Machine EP.

From the opening echoing guitar riff of the EP’s title track it’s evident that while the band still sounds about the same as it once did, there is a hint of something different on this record. This song—like the other three songs on the album—is dreamy art-pop complete with steady background drumming, Slocum’s melodic guitar theatrics and Nash’s trademark breathy vocals. But the tone of the album isn’t happy-go-lucky or sing-songy. There is nothing akin to “Kiss Me” or “There She Goes” on this album.

The title track does a double-entendre, acting as an ode to a neglected car, but also presenting the picture of a heart that has nearly died because it has not been attended to consistently. Nash asks to be forgiven for her carelessness and taken where she wants to go despite her previous neglect, and you cannot help but feel that this song is in fact much deeper and more personal than it seems on the surface.

“Amazing Grace (Give it Back)” takes place in a metaphorical desert, with Nash talking about a melody she has lost. Her life has hit a dry season and she calls out to God for help, knowing that this is where she needs to turn. But even when she sings, “You’re everywhere in your own time/ and yet you’re so damn hard to find,” Nash’s honesty demonstrates how difficult it is for her to do this despite knowing she needs to.

On “Sooner or Later,” Nash wonders aloud whether someone she once loved will catch her sooner than later if trouble befalls her, just as she did for them. Their relationship was filled with moments of stubbornness and pride and now she doubts that their decision to end things was right in the end. And in a way, this song connects with the last one, “Around,” because in both songs there is a professed need for another person to be around, be it for help, love or companionship.

With this release, Sixpence None the Richer has whetted fans’ appetites with a possible taste of what is to come when their new full-length album, The Dawn of Grace, early next year. Nash’s vocals are still beautiful if not somewhat guarded now, and Slocum’s guitar sounds as memorable and hypnotic as ever. This is a more mature Sixpence, a Sixpence that is wrestling with life, and the results are splendid.

Highlight Track: “My Dear Machine”