by Chris Familton

Caitlin Rose returns with her second album of bittersweet Americana that shows a marked progression from her 2010 debut. There is a confidence that now pervades her songwriting, casting her in a similar light to Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis, infusing a country template with pop sensibilities in a classic songwriting format.

The hooks are aplenty on songs like Waitin’ the breezy sway of Only a Clown and When I’m Gone. Rose’s voice has grown into a subtle yet layered instrument. Listen closely and she can conjure up a sad and plaintiff serenade, a Loretta Lynn twang or a bubbly pop vibe on Silver Sings. Rose has surrounded herself with a wonderful band and session players who add the crucial colour and authenticity to her songs. It is those qualities that make The Stand-In work so well with its benevolent reshaping of traditional sounds of jazz, soul, folk and country into an album where all the elements sit so comfortably together. It is also a wholly contemporary feeling record, a modern recasting of age-old forms which makes it the best of both worlds.

this review was first published on FasterLouder