The smart, clever songwriting of the North Carolina group Bombadil nearly ground to a halt when bassist/pianist Daniel Michalak suffered an unusual nerve injury that made it impossible for him to accomplish daily tasks and, therefore, perform the group's usual 200 nights a year on the road. But with his physical issue on the mend, the group has returned with Metrics of Affection, an album that swings from humorous to poignant, often combining the two in unexpected ways to keep audiences guessing when to laugh, subtly chuckle, or outright cry. By their titles, “Boring Country Song” and “When We Are Both Cats” suggest a lighthearted quality that’s often counterbalanced by lines that cut both ways. “One More Ring” and “Escalators” are more subtly nuanced for the perfect mix. Then there’s “Have Me,” a piano-and-strings composition that shows what happens when Bombadil drops all artifice. When the band chooses to file out, it’s with the swirling piano intensity of “Thank You.”