 John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune noted the <unk> of the solo part and criticised the " banality " of Kay 's verse but reported that he " was held by the sensitive lyrical , rather <unk> vocal writing and often translucent scoring " . " The woman 's suppressed anger and fear rise to the surface through Turnage 's music — poignant gritty yet always compassionate . " Considering the same Chicago performance , freelance music critic Lawrence A. Johnson , was taken by the use of instrumental colour and also by Turnage 's " <unk> rhythmic vitality " , but " If Twice through the Heart [ sic ] just misses being one of Turnage 's top @-@ drawer works , it 's because of the somewhat unvaried air of doleful melancholy as well as the text 's more pedestrian moments and repetition . " 
