Bess Rogers presents Bess Rogers

Is Bess Rogers a folkie with punk instincts or an indie-rocker with an acoustic bent? Her EP Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers makes it hard to place her in a neat category — and that turns out to be a source of strength for this eclectic singer/songwriter. Rogers — a member of Ingrid Michaelson’s touring band — likes to surround her sweet lyric sentiments with a tough outer coating as she recounts tales of fumbled romance and fragile happiness. Her acute ear for pop hooks is evident in “Come Home” (matching a sunny chorus with a thumping beat) and “Favorite Day” (a hard-charging tune reminiscent of early Go-Go’s). More introspective are coffeehouse-style ballads like “What We Want” and “All In Good Fun.” Dan Romer (another Michaelson associate) gives these tracks a nicely layered production, emphasizing the playful, anything-can-happen spirit of Rogers’ songs. More than anything, there’s a sense here that Rogers is exploring her sonic palette as well as her personal feelings. It’s this freewheeling quality that makes the EP an engaging effort by an arresting new talent.