Jana McCall's second album,
Slumber, picks up where her self-titled debut left off, gathering more brooding, ethereal songs in the vein of
Lida Husik and
Kendra Smith.
McCall's bruised alto is at its best on the quieter, folkier songs, like "Carolina's Crown" and "Birthday," though more rock-oriented tracks such as "Bloodlines" and "Grace of the Peak" do attain a certain slow-burning majesty. The album's arrangements are also noteworthy, with the elegant piano and violin flourishes that crop up on songs like "Still" adding to the bohemian sensuality of the proceedings. While each of
Slumber's songs is beautiful, as a whole they tend to sound too much like one another. The cabaret-tinged "Falling Again" and the fittingly dark, dreamy take on
Pink Floyd's "Echoes" are among the standouts on this lush, hazy album, which suggests that
McCall is gradually becoming equally good at creating a darkly romantic mood and also her own unique voice. ~ Jonathan Widran