 10 Songs for the New Depression is a simple vocal and acoustic performance album composed of original songs as well as two cover versions of songs from the Great Depression . The album is approximately thirty minutes in length and contains lyrical references to economist Alan Greenspan , Nobel Prize @-@ winning economist and The New York Times columnist Paul Krugman , and President Barack Obama . While Wainwright 's previous studio album High Wide & Handsome : The Charlie Poole Project ( 2009 ) contains more than twenty musicians and singers , The Guardian contributor Robin Denselow described 10 Songs as featuring a " pared @-@ down , DIY set , in keeping with the mood of the new songs " . 
