Dawn Landes - Fireproof

Despite its sombre leanings, Fireproof isn't nearly as melancholy as the track listing might suggest (see Private Little Hell and Dig Me a Hole). Moments of moderate eccentricity are scattered throughout a consistently rewarding album, however Landes is at her best on her softer numbers, such as I'm in Love with the Night, Twilight and album highlight Tired of this Life. With hints of her native Kentucky peeking through, this is an understated and quietly optimistic record, well structured, intelligently arranged and a perfect example of less amounting to more. Fireproof is imbued with the same sense of unfussy ease that permeated the earlier work of Cat Power. Sure, some plucked notes die on the fret-board, the tuning can be suspect and the vocals often lazily sway either side of perfect, but such is the unpolished and natural feel of this tenderly delivered album of bittersweet reflection. [Chris Cusack]