Gently As I Go
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The Portland, Maine singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter brings along an excellent cast for these 11 thoughtful songs that explores the human experience across this 3rd album.
“Coming Your Way” opens the listen with Cotter’s elegant and expressive voice guiding the grooves that benefit from Alec Spiegelman’s warm clarinet, and “Don’t Wait” follows with gorgeous balladry that uses Zoe Guigueno’s intimate bass precisely.
In the middle, “Gone Away” is populated by pretty vocal harmonies amid Jefferson Hamer’s light electric guitar in the folk climate, while “Remind Me Of You” offers a hazy vulnerability that recruits Dave Cole’s agile drumming and Emily Mure’s soothing harmonies.
“Do You Love Me?” and “Morning Mantra” exit the listen, where the former is a more upbeat affair thanks to Dandy McDowell’s glowing upright bass and Cotter’s playful pipes, and the latter makes great use of vocal harmonies from Neha Jiwrajka and Elise Leavey for the largely a cappella warmth.
A very worldly version of folk sounds, Cotter and company touch on love, life and death, and it makes for a very thoughtful and timeless body of work.
Travels well with: Katie Dahl- Seven Stones; Annie Capps- How Can I Say This?