Jiaojiao Zhou

Ms Butterfly

Albany, 2023

8/10

Listen to Ms Butterfly

An adaptation of Puccini's Madame Butterfly that’s set in 2036, these electro-acoustic sounds were conceived, produced and directed by Dennis K. Law, and welcomes electronic organ orchestration by Wu Danxia, and analog synthesizer programming by David Wohl.

A DVD that’s visually just as stunning as it is musically, the sets are basic but effective, are altered easily but with much charm, and the string interaction is precise and unpredictable alongside the electronic adventurousness.

Vocals are handled by Julianne Olson (soprano), Susanne Burgess (soprano), Chen Yongxi (tenor), Li Ting (tenor), Huang Jianan (baritone), Chen Yifan (baritone), Jenna Clark (mezzo-soprano), Pedro Barrera (tenor), Griffen Tracy (bass), and Simona Xiazhu Qi (soprano), and they’re powerful, expressive and booming.

A very artistic display of musical theater, this re-telling of an old story comes with a contemporary angle that illuminates the composer Jiaojiao Zhou’s highly distinct vision.

Travels well with: Steven Gerber- String Quartets; Geoffrey Duce- Fantasies & Rhapsodies

Aaron Smith & The Coal Biters

The Legend Of Sam Davis

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to The Legend Of Sam Davis

The esteemed storyteller Aaron Smith brings us on a journey through Newton Country, Arkansas in the 1820’s, where the influences of John Prine, John Hartford and David Wilcox are present via the banjo, fiddle, pump organ and many other sound makers that are very much appreciated.

“The Way To Sam’s Throne” opens the listen with meticulous acoustic guitar and warm vocal harmonies alongside the soothing pump organ, and “Henry Martin” follows with a quicker approach of lively roots ideas that benefit much from the playful mandolin.

Deeper into the journey, “Ab Clayborn” uses banjo strategically alongside the vivid storytelling that’s a bit darker in scope, while “Dead Man’s Hollow” is a sublimely intimate display of soft percussion, emotive fiddle and pretty singing.

Closer to the end, “Looky There” offers a rowdy, dance floor ready, barnyard rocker that just invites a sing-along, and “A Thousand Years” exits with stirring piano complementing Smith’s eloquent pipes in the highly reflective finish.

The listen follows the path of Sam Davis, a mountain preacher, as he sets out to find his long lost sister, and the powerful plot involves several characters while touching on jazz, balladry, grooves and plenty of southern roots ideas. The package comes with a coffee table book that includes essays, family photos, maps and artwork for each track, too.

Travels well with: Brian Kalinec- The Beauty Of It All; Mitch Hayes- Gentle Man

Laith

Lightning

Fluff & Gravy, 2023

9/10

Listen to Lightning

The debut album from the Houston native Laith, these 12 songs follow his travels across the country, where drifter sounds contain elements of country and psychedelia that are fleshed out with The Texas Birds band plus others.

“L.A.” opens the listen with Cooper Trail’s warm piano and Kevin Christopher’s bouncy bass complementing the waves of dreaminess amid Laith’s distinct singing, and “Ghost” follows with Erik Clampitt’s moody pedal steel adding much to the sublimely textured, calm melodies.

Further on, “Texas Wind” offers a punchy and country fueled album highlight that showcases Carolina Chauffe’s soulful backing vocals alongside Casey Klep Matson’s punchy drumming, while the gritty yet pretty “Song For Levon” emits a hazy form of Americana that’s pensive and scrappy.

Close to the end, “No One’s Ever Going To Put You Away” spotlights Merle Law’s agile keys that suit Laith’s poetic pipes, and “Lightning” exits with a reflective tone of subdued beauty that welcomes Sam Wenc’s glowing pedal steel and Laith’s diverse singing.

A geographical listen of the most creative kind, Laith is off to a superb start with his harmonic, sometimes twangy and buzzing song craft that will make anyone a fan pretty quick.

Travels well with: Sean Rowe- The Darkness Dressed In Colored Lights; Jim White- Misfit’s Jubilee

Fathom Lane

In The Driftless

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to In The Driftless

It’s been 6 years since the Minneapolis folk outfit Fathom Lane have released an album, but they make up for that time with these diverse songs that surround themes of loss, isolation, addiction, discovery, and, eventually, redemption.

“How It Begins” opens the listen with warm acoustic strumming and expressive singing from the front man Michael Ferrier, which takes help from Shane Akers’ well timed pedal steel and Ashleigh Still’s mature piano, and “Surviving” follows with Matt Patrick’s baritone guitar, Hohner Planet and Mellotron adding much dreaminess to the textures.

Halfway through, “The Lookout” welcomes Pete Boblett’s agile bass guitar and Alexander Young’s skilled drumming to the subtle melodies, while “Eye Oh Way”, the album’s best, displays Ferrier’s pretty voice amid the soft layers of eloquent song craft.

Approaching the end, “The Stranger In Me” relies much on atmosphere that spotlights The Laurels String Quartet for the orchestral nods which complement the hazy folk ideas, and “You & Me” exits with meticulous acoustic guitar and soulful backing vocals for the cozy Americana moments of the creative Tom Petty interpretation.

A very cinematic body of work that draws the listener in with the well thought out instrumentation and vivid lyricism, along with his esteemed company it makes for a very atypical listen that warrants multiple visits.

Travels well with: Humbletown- The Path I Chose To Walk; Turn Turn Turn- New Rays From An Old Sun

Stephen Jacques

Groove Atlantic-O

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Groove Atlantic-O

The 11th album from the romantic alt-rock songwriter Stephen Jacques, the 10 tracks here were captured by the legendary Steve Albini and stem from the well lived life of a renaissance man, where each tune embraces power and emotion.

The warm guitar of “Dreams On Fire” starts the listen with Jacques’ slight rasp alongside Gerald Dowd’s agile drumming and Chris Siebold’s cozy pedal steel that gives the song a hint of Americana, and “Women Under Sun” follows with an upbeat and scrappy rock appeal that’s a bit crunchy, too.

“Syracuse Lawn Chair” occupies the middle spot, and carries a bit of intimacy amid Vijay Tellis-Nayak’s mature piano, while the jangly “Slept On A Ridge” gets more rugged with no lack of melody to complement the alt-rock spirit.

Close to the end, “Dining With Horses” is a calmer moment of aching pedal steel and eloquent storytelling, and “Dusty Italian Bike” exits with mesmerizing guitar and a reflective ambience in the slow burning beauty.

It’s important to note that Jason Narducy (Bob Mould, Superchunk) plays bass and guitar across the listen, and it sure does help illuminate Jacques’ formula that still clings to his punk roots, but also emits parallels to Springsteen and McCartney.

Travels well with: The Scarlet Goodbye- Hope’s Eternal; Kevin Bowe- Half Past Never

Mary Strand

Golden Girl

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Golden Girl

The debut album from the singer, vocalist, songwriter and author Mary Strand, these 10 songs touch on pop and rock ideas, and welcome some excellent guest musicians from the vibrant Minneapolis scene.

“Alexa Please” gets the listen off to an energetic start, where Jack Strand’s crisp drums, lively guitar and Strand’s raw yet tuneful voice make for a crunchy rocker, and “Different Kind Of World” follows with Mark Wade’s skilled bass and the gritty garage rock nods that won’t go unappreciated.

In the middle, Sarah Morris’ lovely pipes appear on the intimate and lush “I Don’t Want To Be Your Yesterday”, while the warm “The Me I Need To Be” carries a bit of punky spirit in the harmonic album highlight.

“Stay For Breakfast” and “Act As If” exit the listen, where the former showcases Ryan Smith’s fluid piano playing in the mature versus adventurous song craft, and the latter is a hand clapping, scrappy, summery finish that unfolds like a beach anthem.

All the songs here surround the theme of love, and Strand’s influences from The Muffs, Ramones and The Beach Boys won’t be hard to miss across this infectious and excellent first record.

Travels well with: Brynn Andre- Honeymoon; Sarah Morris- Here’s To You

Heatbox

Hilarious & Epically Legendary

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Hilarious & Epically Legendary

An artist with many talents, Aaron ‘Heatbox’ Heaton pens a musical comedy here, where his hip-hop roots are very much intact, and welcomes help on brass, strings and guitars.

“Bad Internet Friend” opens the listen with some funky, soulful flavor, as warm EWI from Maxaphone complements the playful singing that addresses the lack of social media etiquette from Heatbox, and “Beige” follows with bright horns alongside plenty of soothing backing vocals that cleverly discusses a house without color.

Further on, the spacey “Piece Of Ship” segues into dance floor ready grooves that benefit from Patrick Nelson’s bouncy bass and Heatbox’s impressive range, while the powerful, R&B influenced “I Bought A Bat” lets us know that instead of learning to fight, he picked up a bat to combat bad guys.

Landing near the end, “Log Jammin” flows with falsetto singing and pretty backing vocals amid synthetic drums and a dreamy demeanor, and “Zipper Merge” exits with booming brass and plenty of ‘70s soft-rock melodies floating around the breezy finish.

A record that will make you laugh out loud on more than one occasion, Heatbox may not take himself too serious, but his music is seriously fun to listen to.

Travels well with: Jojo Green- The Summer Tree; Madeline Rosene- Everyday Existential Crisis

Scott Allen

My Own Grown Eyes

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to My Own Grown Eyes

A Minneapolis singer, bassist and live sound engineer, Scott Allen brings a wealth of talent and experience to these 12 songs that comfortably reside in Americana and folk territory.

“The Finest Hour” opens the listen with Allen’s warm baritone guitar and inviting vocals alongside Andra Suchy’s pretty backing vocals and Noah Levy’s agile drumming, and “She’s Almost Here” follows with a playful jangle amid David Feily’s skilled mandolin and the flowing melodies.

Entering the middle, the thicker textures of “Delivered No Tomorrow” welcomes Doug Christianson’s bright percussion, while “Family Christmas Knife Fight” showcases Jeff King’s well timed tenor sax in the upbeat climate.

Closer to the end, the thumping and buzzing “Sugarcoat” benefits from Suchy’s soulful backing vocals and Allen’s bouncy bass, and “Saint You” exits with piano led intimacy that’s poetic and heart felt thanks to Allen’s emotive voice and Patrick Tanner’s sophisticated keys.

A very mature and diverse body of work, Allen explores pop, alt-rock and even bluegrass moments across this highly memorable listen.

Travels well with: The Jorgensens- Americana Soul; The Scarlet Goodbye- Hope’s Eternal

Christopher Cerrone/Stephanie Fleischmann

In A Grove

In A Circle, 2023

8/10

Listen to In A Grove

An opera with music by the always impressive Christopher Cerrone, we’re treated to the soprano Lindsay Kesselman, countertenor Chuanyuan Liu, tenor Andrew Turner, and baritone John Taylor Ward, plus the Metropolis Ensemble and libretto from Stephanie Fleischmann for these 2 in depth pieces.

The atmospheric “Prelude” opens the listen with a bit of mysteriousness amid the blurry electronics, before segueing into the expressive voice of Ward and Ian Rosenbaum’s animated percussion on “Scene 1: The Woodcutter”

Further into Part I. Testimonies, Lui’s bright pipes populate the dreamy “Scene 2: The Priest”, while “Scenes 3 and 4: The Mother & the Policeman“ has Turner and Kesselman’s eloquent singing alongside the light strings and stirring climate.

The back half of the listen, Part II. Confessions, offers the talk/singing of “Scene 5: The Outlaw”, which uses keys strategically, and the captivating “Scene 6: The Missing Woman”, which highlights Kesselman’s gorgeous singing that suits the cryptic intimacy. Near to the end, “Scene 7: The Murdered Man, Channeled by a Medium” emits plenty of harmonic gestures and a superbly rich landscape.

The winds, brass, strings and keys are used sparingly but effectively, and Cerrone’s haunting, sonically appealing vision makes for a very unique meshing of electronic and classical sounds that few others could replicate.

Travels well with: Johnny Gandelsman- This Is America: An Anthology 2020-2021; Hemingway- Hemingway: A Film By Ken Burns And Lynn Novick

Dilly Dalley Alley

Make You Whole

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Make You Whole

A Minneapolis outfit with a penchant for grooves and funk friendly ideas in their unique version of indie-rock, Dilly Dalley Alley bring us 9 very memorable tracks here.

“Reaching Out To The Blue Sky” starts the listen with Ivan Cunningham’s atmospheric sax and Max Voda’s well timed strings for the adventurous, artistic delivery, and “Give Yourself Up To Yourself” follows with Will Kjeer’s moody keys complementing Sophia Spiegel’s soaring, expressive pipes in the soulful landscape.

In the middle, “Beloved Beckons” benefits much from Mitch Van Laar’s agile trumpet playing amid much graceful intimacy, while “Make You Whole” layers the brass, strings and guitar with strong attention to detail.

At the end, “They Say The Heart Can’t Break” is full of warm melodies that float alongside the gorgeous singing and dynamic songwriting, and “You’re Not The One” finishes with a strategic trumpet solo mixed in with mature song craft that’s so precisely executed.

An extremely unique listen that mixes in jazz and orchestral nods, too, Dilly Dalley Alley certainly aren’t your typical Neosoul assembly, and it sure does make for a charming, enlightening experience.

Travels well with: Jojo Green- The Summer Tree; Amanda B. Perry- My Time

Humbletown

The Path I Chose To Walk

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Path I Chose To Walk

A South Dakota duo of Morgan Carnes (clawhammer banjo) and Dylan Lewis (flatpick guitar, mandolin), as Humbletown the pair make for genuine folk/bluegrass sounds across these 12 harmonic songs that welcome Dalton Coffey, Eddie Faris and Tom Schaefer.

“Hold You Up” starts the listen with pretty vocal harmonies alongside warm string interaction via the timeless bluegrass nods that are quite soothing, and “Fade To Nothing” follows with Dylan’s expressive pipes front and center, where strategically plucked bass adds much to the rural climate.

Further along, the melodic “Out West” spotlights Morgan’s pretty voice amid the playful banjo and meticulous guitar playing, while “Lonesome Bones” recruits some cultured ideas that benefit much from Schaefer’s fiddle prowess.

Close to the end, “Coyote Song”, the album’s best, is a cautiously textured display of eloquent and gorgeous bluegrass song craft, and “Vines” exits with a swift and superb delivery of stirring picking and glowing vocal harmonies.

A band that excels in both energetic and calm moments, Humbletown will impress anyone with an ear for folk, country or bluegrass sounds across these 12 memorable tracks.

Travels well with: Turn Turn Turn- New Rays From An Old Sun; The Lowest Pair- Horse Camp

The Jorgensens

Americana Soul

Paramour, 2023

8/10

Listen to Americana Soul

An outfit spearheaded by Brianna and Kurt Jorgensen, as The Jorgensens they bring their vocals and multi-instrumental talents to these appropriately titled 10 songs.

“Old Black Crow” starts the listen with warm guitar, soulful backing vocals and bright horns making for a diverse version of roots sounds, and “Miles” follows with Brianna’s expressive pipes front and center for the spirited and frisky delivery.

“Shake It” lands in the middle and uses violin and banjo via the precisely textured climate, while the vibrant “Out Of My Mind” is a stylish and nearly gospel delivery that’s immediately memorable.

“Twenty Years” and “State Line” exit the listen, where the former has Kurt hitting some high notes amid the agile drumming and intimate guitars, and the latter finishes with sublime balladry that’s vulnerable, eloquent and timeless.

Certainly soulful and steeped in Americana, we’re also treated to blues, country, jazz and bluegrass, among others ideas, for the really well thought out listen.

Travels well with: The Scarlet Goodbye- Hope’s Eternal; Dan Israel- Seriously

December Friend

Splendor Never Dies

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Splendor Never Dies

A quickly rising Minneapolis outfit with songs penned by Joel Leviton, of Circus of the West, the 10 tracks also welcome Jeff Victor (an esteemed Minneapolis artist) and John Wlaysewski (of Brooklyn-based band Late Cambrian) for this pandemic born project, December Friend

“Textures” leads the listen with some atmosphere before segueing into a warm, crunchy modern rock climate, and “Should We Be Dancing” follows with cozy acoustic guitar guiding the fuller moments of melodic textures.

“Every Flower Every Scar” occupies the middle spot, and comes with a hint of mystery that evolves into folk-like intimacy, while the thick and spirited “Rise Like A Song” showcases powerful guitar playing amid the poetic singing and dreaminess.

Close to the end, the best track, “Paul’s Bike Is Free”, pairs flowing Americana with hints of psychedelia, and “Ghosts In The Wind” exits with well timed strings and strategic backing vocals for the reflective versus anthemic qualities.

A very well thought out record that really connects with the listener, there is much beauty to be embraced in these stories that touch on the human experience.

Travels well with: The Scarlet Goodbye- Hope’s Eternal; Kevin Bowe- Half Past Never

Willie West

The Soul Sessions

New Folk, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Soul Sessions

The former frontman for The Meters, this collection of 12 songs that carry much importance to Willie West were fleshed out in 2008, and are remastered here to enhance the timeless sounds.

“I Got The Blues” begins the listen with West’s inimitably soulful voice alongside some bright brass and Donald Hyepockets Robinson’s fluid drums, and Sam Cooke’s “Somebody Have Mercy On Me” follows with Scotty Miller’s keyboards adding much to the rhythmic interpretation.

Arriving in the middle, “Summertime” places plenty of funk ideas amid the powerful vocals of the Gerschwin original, while “Got To Cut You Loose”, an original, spotlights Thad Simmonds’s skilled saxophone prowess alongside West’s soaring pipes.

The album gets quite emotional near the end, where “That’s Where It’s At” tugs on the heartstrings, and “Blues In The Night” exits with a stunning a cappella performance of the Johnny Mercer tune.

Originally released in 2015 as Lafourche Crossing, this version is available on vinyl for the first time, and honors one of the best to ever do it in the area of the blues.

Travels well with: Ivan Neville- Touch My Soul; The New Mastersounds- The Deplar Effect

The Scarlet Goodbye

Hope’s Eternal

Angel Dust, 2023

9/10

Listen to Hope’s Eternal

A duo consisting of Daniel Murphy (Soul Asylum, Golden Smog) and the prolific solo artist Jeff Arundel, as The Scarlet Goodbye the pair bring much different backgrounds to a distinct rock’n’roll listen.

“Rosary” begins the listen with warm, swirling guitars amid Ben Peterson’s crisp drums, as the smooth vocals populate the gentle modern rock tune, and “Panic & Blame” follows with Kenny Wilson’s glowing pedal steel that complements the dreamy climate of intimate beauty.

In the middle, “Charity” uses well timed keys and plenty of atmosphere for the poetic, stirring landscape, while “Firefly” enters timeless Americana areas of soulful songwriting and moments of grit, too.

Close to the end, Husker Du’s “Celebrated Summer” is a stripped back interpretation that’s acoustic guitar focused and a bit hazy, and “Minor Things” exits with a very personal and organic finish to a highly thoughtful 12 songs.

Additionally, Patrick Nelson (bass), Michael W. Nelson (percussion, keyboards), Pat Frederick (violin, piano, vocals), John Fields (shaker) and Jeff Victor (keyboards) are in attendance, and it sure does help make for a fantastic debut from a band that we’ll all be hearing a lot more of, soon.

Travels well with: Kevin Bowe- Half Past Never; Dan Israel- Seriously

The Sunny Era

The Sky King

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Sky King

A Minneapolis outfit consisting of Eric Stainbrook, Laila Stainbrook, Pat Zampogna, Tony Zampogna and John Idso, The Sunny Era return with a 6th album of their timeless folk qualities that surround these 14 tracks.

“Soliloquy” starts the listen with moody keys, as a very dreamy landscape unfolds with crisp drums and wordless vocals, and “The Start And End We Know” follows with Eric and Laila’s cozy vocal harmonies complemented by Tony’s mesmerizing bass in the breezy climate.

Further on, the prog-rock nods of the title track flow in a thicker delivery, while “The World Over” benefits much from Idso’s fluid drumming via the universally enjoyable folk-rock template.

Deeper still, “The Second Lifetime” is quite intimate, where a darker spirit enters the reflective tone, and the aptly titled “The Ending” finishes with a charming jangle that spotlights the melodic rhythm section and well timed keys amid the soft, dual gender singing.

The band have evolved from a trio into a 5 piece since their inception almost 20 years ago, and it sure does make for a lush appeal that welcomes violin and pedal steel to a very accomplished effort.

Travels well with: Turn Turn Turn- New Rays From An Old Sun; The Lowest Pair- Horse Camp

Aaron Larget-Caplan

Spanish Candy

Tiger Turn, 2023

8/10

Listen to Spanish Guitar

This 10th solo album from the esteemed guitarist and composer Aaron Larget-Caplan offers us Spanish and flamenco selections where he showcases his inimitable spin via the rich and mesmerizing playing.

The warm and cultured “Two Pieces”, by Isaac Albéniz, opens the listen with much charm and grace, and Esteban de Sanlúcar’s “Mantilla de Feria” follows with a more firm approach of meticulous and agile finger acrobatics.

The middle tracks belong to the swift and melodic gestures of Francisco Tárrega’s “Five Pieces”, while Albéniz’’s “Granada” finds a more intimate place to reside with its soothing and harmonic patterns.

The final track, “Espana Cani”, by Pascual Marquina” is just as intricate, where Larget-Caplan’s playful techniques touche on Spanish ideas with profound skill.

This is Larget-Caplan’s 4th time working with the multi-Grammy winner Kabir Sehgal, who helps illuminate these time honored Spanish pieces that again solidify Larget-Caplan as one of today’s most luminous guitarists.

Travels well with: Aaron Larget-Caplan- Honey Cadence; Reza Khan- Imaginary Road

Steven Gerber

String Quartets

Albany, 2023

8/10

Listen to String Quartets

The late Steven Gerber has his time honored compositions fleshed out by the Amernet String Quartet, and they document his transitional stage and polystylism vision with incredible attention to detail.

“String Quartet No. 1” opens the listen with 2 chapters of tense and animated string manipulation that is both unpredictable and cinematic, and “String Quartets No. 2” follows with quick and unique patterns that emit much precision and strong attention to mood.

The back half of the listen offers the mesmerizing and dreamy landscape of “String Quartet No. 3”, while “Spirituals” exits with 10 segments that span soothing to mysterious to atmospheric.

The Amernet Quartet never disappoints wherever they travel across the globe, and they certainly honor Gerber’s legacy with these incredible performances.

Travels well with: Geoffrey Duce- Fantasies & Rhapsodies; Justin Hellman- Garden Of The Gods

Ian & Sylvia

The Lost Tapes

Stony Plain, 2019

8/10

Listen to The Lost Tapes

A duo whose heyday was in the ‘60s, Ian & Sylvia were paving new paths with their Americana and folk sounds, and their innovative ways saw the Canadians playing alongside Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot, among others.

Discovered earlier this year, Sylvia came across a box of old 1/4” analog tapes in her attic, which would become The Lost Tapes. Included are tunes not heard on any of their albums, the previously unreleased disc, as well as a disc of their classics, all recorded professionally in front of a live audience.

The classics disc reinforces everything about Ian & Sylvia that made them such luminaries, including the timeless folk sounds of “Little Beggarman”, the sugar sweet “Keep On The Sunny Side”, and the disc highlight, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”, which nearly redefines country music.

The previously unreleased tunes are covers, and primarily hover around country sounds, including the partly a cappella “After The Fire Is Gone”, and highly emotive “Sweet Dreams”. Some of the deviations from country include the funk, soulful fun of “Starting All Over Again”, and the blues flavor of “Come On In My Kitchen”.

The last time Ian & Sylvia played together was 1975, but with this live double disc we’re brought back to their best days with excellent sound quality that really allows the timelessness of these songs to shine.

Travels well with: Gordon Lightfoot- Don Quixote; Bob Gibson- Yes I See

Brynn Andre

Honeymoon

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Honeymoon

The Minneapolis singer-songwriter Brynn Andre returns with a mature set of pop songs that face life after your 20s, where intimacy and energy are balanced amid her gorgeous singing.

The title track starts the listen with a warm atmosphere that uses synthetic drumming alongside the expressive singing of the cautious climate, and “Celebrity” follows with a stirring dreaminess that showcases Andre’s eloquent storytelling and graceful keys.

Halfway through, the emotive “Fertile Ground” is full of pretty textures that are soulful, while “Canyon Heart” floats with a cinematic appeal of calm pop ideas amid the soft drums and cozy piano.

Approaching the end, “Strawberry Wine” offers a bare but impactful landscape that explores Andre’s impressive range, and “Even Love” exits with a lush and powerful display of timeless, relevant songwriting.

Andre’s debut was way back in 2010, and this outing illustrates a maturing woman with a wealth of talent and stunning voice that will make anyone a fan pretty quick.

Travels well with: Sarah Morris- Here’s To You; Kelley Smith- Moon Child