10cm duo returns with new sound

10cm
“The 2nd EP”
(Mirrorball Music)

The indie acoustic duo of 10cm has returned with the follow up EP to their second full album. The five-track EP features the title track “Oh Yeah,” which is an upbeat blues-inspired rock-and-roll song that ventures drastically from the group’s slow, acoustic-style second album. Although the title track doesn’t quite reflect the best musical side of the duo, it however does show off the band’s attempt at diversity in their albums.

The track “Nothing Without You” veers back to the acoustic and vocal sound that more listeners have come to expect from 10cm. The song is a mid-tempo acoustic and piano ballad piece that highlights the soft range of singer Kwon Jung-yeol.

“Morning Call” is a slightly upbeat acoustic pop track with a bubbly guitar rift melody that beautifully carries Kwon’s vocals. The follow-up album, although not the best from the lot, is still worth a listen for all 10cm fans and acoustic sound lovers alike.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)


Veronica Falls’ album worth the ‘Wait’

Veronica Falls
“Waiting for Something to Happen”
(Slumberland)

The second full-length album from indie pop’s Veronica Falls is a tasteful guitar pop set, brighter in tone than their first. The London foursome takes a communal approach to singing their lovely melodies and there is nothing remotely discordant about the affair.

The lyrics glorify the moments in between and aligned with the music play like anthems for the indecisive on “Waiting for Something to Happen.” These are songs about tiring of the people you hang out with, last conversations, the shortcomings of connectivity and the intersection of early adulthood.

It’s not that Veronica Falls shun responsibility (“They say act your age”) or compromise (“Driving late at night/I let you listen to the music you like”), they just don’t want to settle down (“Bury me alive”). A few tracks take subtly winsome turns: the drizzle of classic British folk in the opener, the elliptical harmony on “Shooting Star” and the chorus on “Falling Out” blossoming into their catchiest moment to date.

(AP)


Holly Williams spins sensitive album

Holly Williams
“The Highway“
(Georgiana)

Holly Williams is the kind of poetic songwriter country music once embraced. These days, the powerfully sensitive songs featured on her new album, “The Highway,” are relegated to the independent Americana genre that exists outside of the arena-rock formulas of country radio.

The strength of Williams’ songwriting and the subtle emotions in her husky, expressive voice suggest she is following in the cross-genre paths of Mary Chapin Carpenter and Kathy Mattea -- or the country side of Neil Young and Lyle Lovett.

Writing of struggles with family and faith, of living a transient life and of dealing with faithfulness and problematic men, Hank Williams’ granddaughter uses personal experiences to explore universal issues. Amid a raw yet seamless blend of piano, acoustic guitar and subtle rhythms and sonic accents, her songs seek something true amid the bumps and bliss of daily life. She makes listeners feel why that search is important.

(AP)