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Out now on Rogue/Inertia

The sweet vocals of Alela Diane sooth and serenade on this, her second album To Be Still. There have been comparisons with Karen Dalton which are way off mark. Dalton has a much more unique voice, a gorgeous strained blues flecked folk wail. Diane on the other hand settles into her smooth, sweet tone and it is a much less challenging place.

Musically things are par for the course. Violins add the celtic touch and guitars pick out dancing melodies, grounding the songs in an earthy space. The best moments occur when she strips things right back like on ‘Age Old Blue’ and ‘Take Us Back’, exposing a bit more of herself in the songs and stepping away from the generic country/folk of the music.

She isn’t in the same league as Jolie Holland or Gillian Welch but she does deliver some lovely moments on To Be Still.