Record Label: S/R
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Band Link: www.amberrubarth.com
Buy on Amazon.com

Amber Rubarth will definitely draw comparisons to Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley with her confident delivery and country-ish nasal inflection on certain vowel sounds (see also the singer from cub). Some of the songs also have that slightly off-kilter Rilo Kiley approach, which I heartily welcome over, say, the piano-driven ballad “The Photographer” or the shlocky French lounge ditty “Full Moon in Paris.”

But Rubarth’s straight-up singer/songwriter tunes are, for the most part, solid. Incorporating a gypsy guitar sound on “When Will the Spring Come” or cool percussion on the title track, keep the music fresh and interesting, but even a stripped-down vocal-and-acoustic-guitar tune like “When It Fits” is engaging. Also enjoyable is the twangy playfulness of “Wish We’d Gotten Drunk.”

The album missteps towards the end with two minutes of silence (talk about filler) and a throwaway 6-minue piano instrumental. But the album is mostly strong for this genre, and the infectious title track is a must-listen.

Bottom Line: Rises above genre with strong vocals and cheeky lyrics.
Notable Tracks: Good Mystery, When It Fits
Overall Rating: