A Raveling

The four-song EP A Raveling, by indie rock queen Tara Jane O'Neil, her first release on Spanish Acuarela Discos, doesn't so much move her along in her solo career as cement her firmly as one of the genre's stalwarts. The record doesn't vary a lot from the pattern that O'Neil has already established for herself: an atmospheric mix of easygoing guitars, gently layered vocals, slight electronic effects, and calm, folk-inspired contemporary melodies that conjure up images both of campfire chats and driving through old industrial cities at night. It's a nice combination. O'Neil is a practiced and assured artist who knows how to use her voice and her instruments to create the most dreamlike result. "All Mine Eyes" is a soft, ethereal piece with words that blend smoothly into the entire musical background and "Pretty D" incorporates lovely, airy vocals and poignant acoustic guitar lines. The cover of Judee Sill's "The Phoenix" is nice, too, staying true to the original while fitting in perfectly with the rest of A Raveling. This isn't groundbreaking or extraordinary material; it's simply a good release from a well-established artist, and assures the same for the future.