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Following a standout track on the Sunsets And Silhouettes compilation, New York City's Linda Draper returns with her fourth disc, and it's an absolutely arresting album of quietly stunning indie-folk-pop. The songs center around Draper's lilting, effortless vocals and simple yet evocative acoustic guitar playing. Her lyrics are both unflinchingly intimate and semi-abstract, pulling the listener in without giving too much away. Additional backing instrumentation is provided by producer Kramer—yes, that Kramer, of Shimmy-Disc/Bongwater fame. He contributes some basslines, keyboards, a couple of psychedelic guitar leads, and, on the opening track "Super Zero," backing vocals. "The Broken Muzzle" features some nice Mellotron and chirping birds, and the baroque keyboards on the East River Pipe-meets-Aimee Mann track "Jezebel" are quite well done. The echoing vocals on "Parasite" are a lovely touch, and the title track, which closes out the disc, features some beautiful vocal harmonies. Some of the synthesized instrument sounds are pretty dated-sounding (keyboard choirs are so 1989) and I think the songs would have been better served by actual live instrumentation, but presumably this was a low-budget affair, so I guess that can be forgiven. There's only one spot where Kramer's contribution is too heavy-handed, on "Seven Black Crows," where there's what sounds like a cross between steel drums and pizzicato violins, which is a little weird. For the most part, though, the focus remains squarely on Draper—as a vocalist and songwriter, Draper is unassuming and yet totally commanding, and this wonderful disc holds me rapt from beginning to end. (mike.12.05)
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