Several attributes help Cerulean Salt stand out amid the glut of indie-pop albums vying for your attention. The confident, audacious and natural songcraft of Katie Crutchfield is a big one: the Alabama singer-songwriter even trumps the emotional punch of her American Weekend debut this time out. Coast To Coast, You're Damaged and Brother Bryan are lyrically strong and honest, and perfectly pitched. It sounds different too, more shapely, with Crutchfield, swapping the lo-fi fizz for considerably more amplified – and clear – friction. Such clarity suits her expressive voice to a T, enticing the listener to get even closer to these bright, bruised, evocative nuggets. All in all, it's striking work which sounds as though Crutchfield is getting ready to welcome the whole world to her show.
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Download: Coast To Coast, You're Damaged, Brother Bryan