Fire Songs

About

Having made a favorable impression backing Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis on her first solo album (<i>Rabbit Fur Coat</i>), the Los Angeles based duo, the Watson Twins, pull together a likeably low-key album of folk-inspired pop music that reflects the Hollywood Hills far more than any imagined Appalachia that their music previously suggested. Producers Russell Pollard and Jason Soda keep a tight lid on the arrangements, allowing for modest bursts of instrumentation, but mostly focusing on the vocal interplay between Chanda and Leigh Watson. While the duo lack a grand artistic vision — they do nothing shocking or out of the ordinary — “How Am I To Be,” “Lady Love Me,” and “Dig a Little Deeper” offer measured, bouncy pop that sweetly floats through the air. Things slow down for the mournful brood of “Fall,” and a shimmering layer of guitar is added to “Sky Open Up,” while the duo’s harmonies turn ominous as the orchestral backing churns with sad, inevitable movements. A slowly creeping cover of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” fits in naturally among the originals.

via Apple Music