Since releasing “In Our Nature” in 2007, José González has been steadily collecting ideas for new songs.

An album consisting of years’ worth of musical sketches might naturally sprawl wildly in production and style, but on “Vestiges & Claws,” González has created a collection of songs that cohere just about perfectly. It travels from the glowering, riff-driven ‘Stories We Build, Stories We Tell’ via the groovy ‘Leaf Off /The Cave’ to the anthemic ‘Every Age.’ For those familiar with José’s earlier work there is little doubt as to who is behind these recordings.

“I started out thinking that I wanted to continue in the same minimalistic style as on my two previous records,” says José. “But once I started the actual recordings I soon realized that most of the songs turned out better with added guitars and a more beat-like percussion, and with more backing vocals. Personally, I think this made it a more interesting and varied album.” The result is less purist, less strict. One can find traces of inspired protest songs and eccentric folk rock here: monotonous grooves and rhythms, frustration and optimism. It’s a collection that is simultaneously confident, free and tentative.