The title
From Where I Started
suggests
Sera Cahoone
is getting back to her roots with her third solo album, but that isn't precisely true.
Cahoone
may have shifted labels -- she's moved from
Sub Pop
to
Lady Muleskinner Records
-- but she's retained her gift for hushed intimacy. Such subdued surroundings command close listening and, when it's given,
reveals a record that's slightly different than what's come before it. Where previous records like the fine
Deer Creek Canyon
could seem like sketches,
feels richly realized even when it contains little more than
and an acoustic guitar. Not much of the record is quite so spare. With the assistance of co-producer
John Morgan Askew
,
brought in a bunch of renowned musicians from the Northwest, including
Dave Depper
and
Rob Burger
, to augment her touring band. All involved know how to complement the intimacy of
's songs, coaxing a little communal stomp out of "Time to Give," camouflaging the heartbreaking tale of "Ladybug" with a confident roll, easing into the softer moments with a sense of grace. Some of these quieter moments can be sad, yet this album isn't depressing: it's hushed and moving, ultimately a comfort. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine