On
New View
,
Eleanor Friedberger
's solo work remains as laid-back and straightforward as her music with the
Fiery Furnaces
was lively and complex. Recorded with her band
Icewater
after a move to upstate New York, her third album reaffirms that one of her greatest gifts as a solo artist is the fresh personality she brings to classic rock stylings that could seem stuffy in almost anyone else's hands. She plays into -- and against -- those traditions skillfully: A slight Laurel Canyon echo graces "All Known Things'" ruminations, and the folky standout "Never Is a Long Time" is one of her finest and most timeless-sounding songs yet. Meanwhile, she combines lyrics like "I'm opening a tree museum/That's my new hobby" with music that sounds borrowed from
the Band
on "Open Season" and offers a sweet peek into a relationship's give-and-take ("treat me like a tennis pro") on "Because I Asked You," both of which reaffirm that her music will always be at least a little quirky. As on
Personal Record
's warm, reassuring atmosphere is a perfect fit for
Friedberger
's affably rambling songwriting; the album is even bookended by songs about long walks, and at its best, it sounds like a conversation sweetened by music. On first listen, it feels like the best kind of background music, but more engaging tracks like the psychedelic love song "Does Turquoise Work" make themselves known soon enough. When
delivers something a little more dynamic, as on "Cathy with the Curly Hair" or "Sweetest Girl," a charmingly ramshackle rocker that suggests
Cate LeBon
is a kindred spirit, it's tempting to want more of the same. Still, when comfort sounds as good as
does, it's hard to complain. ~ Heather Phares