CAITLIN ROSE - Own Side Now

Few debut albums garner the kind of advanced accolades as the debut full-length from Nashville’s Caitlin Rose. Lauded by the folks at Rough Trade as their #4 record of last year when it was released in the UK, Own Side Now also bagged alternative weekly Nashville Scene’s top album of 2010 award, even though it hadn’t yet been released. Praise of this sort is most often reserved for indie bands selling the latest sounds, haircuts, and beards, yet Rose surprises by not being trendy at all. Rose takes Americana, a mostly tired genre, and breathes life into it with honesty and a set of stellar songs. This is the kind of disc that slowly reels you in through the warmth of Rose’s winsome voice and production from Mark Nevers (Lambchop, Will Oldham) and Skylar Wilson (Justin Townes Earle).

There’s a familiarity to her voice and songs—nothing revolutionary, but this is comfort food. Don’t mistake it for complacency, though. It’s not original in the radical sense, just in the way that it takes a unique talent to take tradition and make it relevant again. She’s a masterful interpreter, covering (and besting) Fleetwood Mac on "That’s Alright". (On her first EP, she bravely took on The Rolling Stones’ "Dead Flowers" with an understatement that justified the cliché bar-band cover.) Her voice is achingly pretty, but never precious ("Learnin' to Ride" and "Own Side"), which makes listening to this record such a rewarding experience. Check for yourself the fine line (or should I say huge distinction?) between hype and well-deserved praise.