For Laura Veirs, comparisons to The Decemberists are inevitable, I suppose, and not just for her star turn on their most recent album. They share the talents of producer Tucker Martine, she recently moved from Seattle to Portland, her songs often play with nautical themes, and she even wears cool retro specs.
But Veirs stakes out her own territory with the uneven Saltbreakers, her third effort for Nonesuch Records. A look at the tracks reveals musical stylings that are all over the board. She opens with “Pink Light,” highlighted by Karl Blau’s funky bass groove and gritty lyrics about a personal transformation. “Don’t Lose Yourself” is another standout, with its techno beat and a keyboard wave that recalls The Cars at their finest. The soulful piano-and-flute-driven “Drink Deep” would be right at home on a Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack, while “To the Country” matches Veirs’ lead vocals with a gospel choir over an Irish fiddle.
Veirs’ detached voice often seems to hover above the melody à la Aimee Mann, but she can get down and dirty, channeling her inner Liz Phair on “Phantom Mountain,” leaving you with a taste for more, if she ever figures out what she does best.