Jekyll / Hyde

Your Friend is the work of Taryn Blake Miller, who sings with a voice that's a placid but passionate siren call. Each of Jekyll/Hyde’s six songs builds slowly with a solemnity that’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The beginning austerity of “Bangs” recalls the artsy poses of Cat Power, with its neutral vocal and My Morning Jacket–like reverb. However, by the song’s end, the sincerity and ambition speak closer to the artistry of Sharon Van Etten. “Pallet” introduces acoustic guitar to the mix and combines with a static keyboard to create a perfect sonic bed for Miller’s heavily reverberated vocals. “Tame One” introduces a drummer to the mix, giving the song a muscular tension without disturbing the spell that Miller clearly casts. Though she's well-integrated in her adopted hometown of Lawrence, Kan., and works well with other musicians on these tracks, Miller is such an overwhelming presence that little is actually needed besides her voice and a few skeletal droning instruments, as the title track and “Expectation/Reality” make clear.