Led by singer-songerwiter Marc Morrissette, Waiting in the Well marks the fourth full-length album released by Canadian indie-rock band Octoberman. At face value, it’s a collection of songs about the frustration and sacrifice that accompanies a long period of waiting.

But in its use of despondent melodies and varied acoustics, Waiting in the Well strikes a soothing tone that will most likely appeal to listeners of indie-rock groups like Belle & Sebastian and Death Cab for Cutie.

Despite Morrissette’s melancholy vocals and sporadic lyrical moments of dejection, the album maintains a comforting and relatively optimistic quality from start to finish. “Dressed Up” is easily the album’s paramount track, a result of both its solid opening and upbeat rhythm, setting it apart from the calm that dominates the rest of the album. Other strong songs include the lighthearted opener “Waiting for Christine,” as well as “Thank You Mr. V,” the band’s poignant tribute to the late Kurt Vonnegut.

Certain songs fail to captivate because of Morrissette’s vocals, which occasionally falter in mediocre tracks like “Actress.”  Listeners should also beware of “Burning Sun,” in which lyrical clichés cancel out the song’s instrumental strength. Despite the relative inferiority of these two tracks, Waiting in the Well brandishes an overall quality and likeability that can be expected to satisfy past fans and those of the indie-rock genre.