Probably the biggest shocker is the move towards country on here. The twangs beginning “Love Songs on the Radio” set the pace for what the rest of the album will bring up: quiet guitars, hushed percussion, and singing from far away. Others elements are used sparingly like piano, cello, and tasteful classical adornments. “Mercy” is the loudest song on here, ending the 42 minutes or so of near-narcoleptic music (I mean this as a compliment).
4AD did a good thing signing them. They don’t release much (5 albums in about a decade) but the quality seems to be kept pretty high. Here’s probably their high point, but most of their discography is fairly solid.