Joe Pug is an American acoustic-folk, singer-songwriter from Greenbelt, Md. who has toured with many acts in his genre, including Steve Earle and Strand of Oaks. “Windfall” is Pug’s third studio album, following 2010’s “Messenger” and 2012’s “The Great Despiser.”

Critics have consistently praised Pug’s music, with Paste Magazine saying of 2010’s “Messenger”: “Unless your surname is Dylan, Waits, Ritter or Prine, you could face-palm yourself to death trying to pen songs half as inspired as the 10 tracks on Joe Pug’s debut full-length.”

However, it seems as though Pug’s inspired songwriting has become stale here on “Windfall.”

The biggest problem on Pug’s third studio effort is not that he doesn’t show talent, which is evident throughout the LP. The inclusion of harmonica on “Veteran Fighter” and the patter of keys on a piano of “Bright Beginnings” shows that there is some potential creativity in the songwriting, but almost none of the 10 tracks on “Windfall” utilize that potential at all.

The highlights of the album are easy to find. “Stay and Dance” picks up the tempo after a lackluster opening two tracks and showcases some of the albums most inspired instrumentation. “Pair of Shadows” is the closest we get to the sophisticated lyricism that Pug is known for.

Unfortunately, the highlights end there. While “Burn and Shine” end up not being awful, all the other tracks are either too forgettable (“The Measure”) or are too long for their own good (“Great Hosannas”). Or in the case of “O My Chesapeake,” both problems are glaring, with a runtime of over five minutes and no sense of progression or notable musical moments, this track ends up being an absolute chore to sit through. Even the semi-titular “Windfallen” falls into the rut of lackluster songs.

The worst offense a musical LP can be criticized for is being boring. Unfortunately, “Windfall” was more than boring as it was hard to sit through and time could be better spent doing other things. Hopefully Pug can win back some potential listeners in the future with another effort that showcases his praised songwriting. But for now, pass on “Windfall.”