Lighten Up

Following in the tradition of dreamy country-pop crooners like Bobby Gentry and Lee Hazlewood, Nashvilles Erin Rae delivers a sophomore set of breezy, retro arrangements and thoughtful songwriting. Rae earned plenty of accolades and new fans for her 2018 debut, Putting on Airs, which blended winsome folk and country with 60s psych-pop undertones. For her second album, Lighten Up, she pegged longtime Father John Misty producer Jonathan Wilson to rustle up some of the cosmic West Coast energy hes become known for. Tonally, they are a fine match whose individual aesthetics dovetail quite naturally. The quirkiness of songs like "Candy & Curry" and the charming "True Loves Face" stands up well against Wilsons kitschier arrangements, which lean on chirping organs, muted wah-wah guitars, sweeping strings, and other late-60s studio adornments. When applied more subtly, this approach adds a sense of class and delicacy to lilting ballads like "Cosmic Sigh" and the lovely "Undone." Raes voice is tastefully understated and well-suited to her slightly melancholic, introspective bent. At her best, she finds an appealing middle ground between country, folk, and rock, as on "California Belongs to You," a moody midtempo gem that sounds like dusk settling and warm air pouring into an open car window. ~ Timothy Monger