HALSTED
Life Underwater
Singer-songwriter Ryan Auffenberg reaped critical kudos with his last LP, 2008’s Marigolds, a title that hinted at the fact that his talents had just started to bloom. Now that he’s re-launched himself under a new name, his methods may have changed—but happily, his means have not. Auffenberg continues to purvey his hushed vocals and haunting pop melodies with equal aplomb, but in the company of the other musicians his aura becomes better illuminated. At their core, songs such as “Walking Shoes,” “White Hot City Lights” and “Toy Soldiers” are strewn with sobering ruminations, but the billowing arrangements and propulsive tempos keep the material sounding optimistic and ebullient. It’s a wonderful Life.
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