Young Man, Vol. 1

Whether it was a strategic calculation or simply a choice based on taste, getting Tortoise multi-instrumentalist John McEntire to produce Colin Caulfield’s second studio album under the Young Man moniker was a great decision. With help from a full band this time around, McEntire gives Young Man, Vol.1 a sprawling orchestral feel that didn’t exist on Caulfield’s 2011 debut, Ideas of Distance (still an awesome album in its own right). With less negative space, “Heading” opens with a versatile rhythm section, shimmering guitar effects, vintage keyboard tones, and layers of samples, which all help flesh out Caulfield’s winsome sound. Anyone drawn to his former exercises in minimalism will surely appreciate the following “Thoughts,” where his boyish voice and a solo guitar are at the forefront while the peripheral accompaniment slowly seeps into the mix, nearly taking over the song by its end. “Wasted” better balances Caulfield’s bare elegance with McEntire’s wizardly production.