With the 2018 disbandment of punk outfit LVL UP, New York singer/guitarist Dave Benton underwent somewhat of a sea change, moving up to the idyllic Hudson River Valley town of Kingston and placing a renewed focus on his laid-back solo work under the name, Trace Mountains. Although the project has been around nearly as long as LVL UP, it was a far more casual affair that has so far yielded a somewhat fragmented lo-fi collection of demos (2016s Buttery Sprouts & Other Songs) and a more cohesive 2018 full-length called A Partner to Lean On. Reflecting Bentons more rural lifestyle, his sophomore outing, Lost in the Country, takes a more ruminative approach and its pastoral guitar pop easily stands as the most pleasing and focused set of his career. Gone are the lo-fi affectations of Trace Mountains early days, replaced here by winsome strings, sweet harmonies, and jangling guitars. Themes of escape and renewal mark highlights like Dog Country and the title cut, their breezy folk-pop hooks gently unraveling under Bentons peculiar, almost conversational vocal delivery. The amiable Me & May focuses on honoring ones individuality and unique voice which is another of Lost in the Countrys central concepts. Recorded between Brooklyn and his home studio in Kingston, he was joined by collaborators including former LVL UP drummer Greg Rutkin, Remember Sports singer Carmen Perry, and Yours Are the Only Ears members Susannah Cutler and Dan Goldberg. Deeply introspective and pleasantly mellow, Lost in the Country is a mature step forward for Benton as a writer, and more firmly establishes Trace Mountains vision. ~ Timothy Monger

Rovi