Artist: Release: Little Wind
MusicBrainz: 8c220acf-9dc1-4850-b1fe-c96dca69735e
Released: 2011-09-20
Country: US
Packaging: None

Tracklisting:

01. Tanktop (04:35)
02. ;;; (03:41)
03. Strong Shoulders (02:08)
04. Strong Shoulders Reprise (01:44)
05. Calliope (05:13)
06. Eagle's Nest (04:34)
07. Scholarships (06:19)
08. Hannah's Song (03:04)
09. Denim Boy (04:08)
10. Birch Trees & Broken Barns (03:11)

Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps new record is a bit like a nice cool glass of milk. Its wholesome, sweet, and generally colorless. Smith and Company originally rose to the top of the local music scene with pretty, infectiously youthful folk music and with Little Wind, they generally stick to that established formula. And while that doesnΓÇÖt show a tremendous amount of artistic growth, fans of the bandsΓÇÖ debut Backyard Tent Set should be more than satisfied with the ten new tracks. To a song they are pretty easy on the ears, and SmithΓÇÖs vocal talent is strong as ever.

Though the sound on Little Wind is on the poppy side, Smith utilizes somber inflection to give an overall tone of melancholy to her words. She sings about issues of family, friends, lovers etc. ΓÇô the usual suspects mainly, with tones of sweet solemnity. And though Smith is far from a bad lyricist, the emotional weight her words carry donΓÇÖt always really get below the surface. Songs like ΓÇ£Tank TopΓÇ¥ and ΓÇ£ScholarshipsΓÇ¥ deal with serious subject matter but the soundΓÇÖs poppy veneer and SmithΓÇÖs decidedly chaste thematic palette rob the tunes of their capacity to really stir the soul as much as they might. Smith seems unwilling to allow any ugliness to creep into her tunes or lyrics, making her words seem more superficial than the place they likely spring from (I do not doubt that Smith is confronting issues worthy of song).

Lyrics aside, SmithΓÇÖs songs seem to work best when she pares them down to the point where they largely rest on her vocals which are her strength. Smith has an excellent voice and she largely carries Little Wind with her flawless high alto. ΓÇ£CalliopeΓÇ¥ is an excellent example (which even utilizes some gritty guitar). As is familial ballad ΓÇ£Eagles Nest.ΓÇ¥ Little Wind certainly doesnΓÇÖt lack for talent (SmithΓÇÖs backing band the Goodnight Sleeps are also more than capable). SmithΓÇÖs voice, the bandΓÇÖs instrumentation, even the lyrics all shine at points throughout the record. They might have shined brighter had they taken a few more chances (conversely the opposite might have also occurred) but as it stands, Little Wind is a strong album much along the same lines as Caroline SmithΓÇÖs previous efforts.