Matthew Barber

Ghost Notes

Outside Music

B

Rocks like: Neil Young or Ryan Adams

… Matthew Barber

Ghost Notes

Outside Music

B

Rocks like: Neil Young or Ryan Adams

Despite the name, Matthew Barber’s new album, Ghost Notes, is anything but eerie — in fact, it’s one of the simplest and most straightforward albums to come out this year.

The Canadian singer-songwriter doesn’t fuss with many extras on the album. It’s just him and his guitar, and he occasionally throws in some drums and piano. He brings in backup vocals on tracks like “Sleep Please Come to Me” that easily fit into the album.

This results in a calm and somberly beautiful sound that strangely contrasts with the optimism of Barber’s lyrics.

Though the simplicity of the album is the foundation of its appeal, it’s a double-edged sword. Barber doesn’t do anything too different that would propel Ghost Notes to catch a great deal of attention.

But what Barber does, he does well, which makes the album a well concealed gem that listeners have to discover for themselves.

Vetiver

Tight Knit

Subpop

A-

Rocks like: Jack Johnson’s hypothetical love child with Paul Simon

Summer is rollin’ in easy if you’re listening to Vetiver’s new album, Tight Knit.

Singer-songwriter Andy Cabic sticks to his light and mellow acoustic style on his fourth album. His crooning and calm voice over simple guitar sounds creates a chill modern folk sound. But at points, Tight Knit feels more like Cabic’s solo project than a band’s effort.

But despite the laid-back style, Vetiver alters its sound from song to song and keeps the album from fading into dismissible background noise. The band switches up the tempo and brings in different vocals, instruments and ambient noise to make each song its own rich listening experience.

Vetiver put out the perfect summer easy listening album, so put down the Jack Johnson and pop in Tight Knit for some chill time at the beach or when you are just hanging out on the porch between job shifts.

Camera Obscura

My Maudlin Career

Merge Records

B+

Rocks like: She & Him

When cute, quirky and cameras collide, the result sounds something like Camera Obscura’s newest album, My Maudlin Career.

Lead singer Tracyanne Campbell’s casual but dynamic voice carries the album through its 11-track affair with love.

My Maudlin Career is probably Camera Obscura’s cleanest and most upbeat album to date. It takes a much more pop route than the band’s previous three albums.

The indie pop sextet’s fourth album shines with catchy opening songs, “French Navy” and “The Sweetest Thing,” and slower tracks like “James” and “Other Towns and Cities” that come later in the album.

Ooohs and aaahs season the songs, which, rather than making them sound like Ashley Tisdale’s latest syrupy sweet hit, just adds to Camera Obscura’s own quirky and bubbly sound.

Overall, My Maudlin Career is a solid album that will sail straight on, directly under the mainstream’s radar that even the “French Navy” can’t sink.