Golder
Album | Haley Bonar
Minneapolis singer-songwriter's richest collection so far.
2008's Big Star found Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter Haley Bonar stepping away from the dreamy vibe of her earlier releases into an earthier and more overtly country and folk-influenced sound. Golder, largely written during an abortive move from her native Upper Midwest to hipster haven Portland, fuses those two approaches into Bonar's richest and most cohesive collection of songs so far. Diaphanous near-instrumentals like "Sad Baby" (inspired, she tells Critical Mob, by a re-introduction to Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch's score to Twin Peaks) fit perfectly next to country-tinged rockers like "Candy Machine Gun" and "Money," just as the hypnotic solo piano ballad "Kid October" makes perfect sense near the psychedelicized percussive tumult of "A Piano." There's even an uncharacteristic shot of whimsy in the sardonic "Bad For You," which feels like one of Carole King's more light-hearted tunes. Sonically varied, melodically rich and lyrically intriguing, Golder is an immensely likeable outing from an undersung songsmith.
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The Reminder
Feist
| A Piano (Live On City Of Music) | |
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