Robert Francis’ work pulses with an undercurrent of forceful candor that cannot be faked. The songs on Before Nightfall are so personal that Francis has trouble explaining the specifics of what they’re about, but he does offer that One By One came out of the emotional turmoil he suffered after a failed relationship, whereas 'Before Nightfall' looks back on that relationship through the healing prism of time and finds hope in starting over and moving on to something new.