With her fifth album,
Arizona, indie songstress
Tracy Shedd trades in her signature sound of peppy, electric slowcore pop for a completely acoustic set of hushed, introspective numbers. Even at their most robust, as with songs like the moody "Million Pictures" and the upbeat
Portastatic-esque "Ninety-Five to Ten," the atmosphere stays low and subdued.
Shedd is joined on most of
Arizona by her husband, guitarist James Tritten, as well as a host of backing vocalists and supporting musicians like
Denison Witmer,
Rosebuds member Ivan Howard, and
Howe Gelb. In addition to her 11 original compositions,
Shedd offers up a jaunty
Magnetic Fields cover and an unexpected acoustic reading of
Sonic Youth's "Teenage Riot." ~ Fred Thomas