Not Going Anywhere sees
Keren Ann Zeidel operating in the same hushed tones as her previous albums and once again collaborating with
Benjamin Biolay. While
Zeidel has been compared to
Dido and
Portishead in the past, few would make similar comparisons this time around as trip-hop vibes really appear only on the playful "Sailor & Widow." Otherwise, the pace is held steady around 20 BPM and more frequently there are no beats at all. Instead,
Zeidel frolics in a whispery, moody genre that might be appropriately labeled neo-folk, late-night lullaby. On the somewhat unsettling songs "End of May" and "Right Now & Right Here,"
Zeidel's voice is a dead-ringer for
Lisa Germano, and since the music mostly consists of quietly strummed acoustic guitars, pianos, and violins, the music seems equally
Germano-esque. On these
songs, one can't help but note similarities to
Mary Timony's dark lullabies as well. But where
Germano and
Timony traverse in adult themes,
Zeidel and
Biolay's songs would be a perfect fit for a toddler's nursery rhyme album. A very hip toddler's nursery rhyme album, that is. Elsewhere, a number of other influences are apparent, from the
Belle & Sebastian-flavored title track to a series of tunes near the album's close that seem touched by the hands of
Van Dyke Parks or
Rufus Wainwright. Lush, minimal, and always gentle,
Not Going Anywhere reaffirms
Zeidel's gorgeous voice and should be a soundtrack for the hippest coffeehouses around the globe. ~ Tim DiGravina