Azure Ray - Azure Ray

Azure Ray falls somewhere in the indie pop/quiet is the new loud scene. I would say that they're what Belle and Sebastian would be if it was an all-girl group, but they're nowhere near as precious as B & S (that's the first time I've ever abbreviated Belle and Sebastian. Made me feel dirty all over. I'll never do it again). Maybe Kings of Convenience would be a better comparison, seeing as how I lifted one of their album titles to make myself look witty.

Both Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor have kicked around the indie scene in a variety of solo and collaborative projects, and while you can't really argue that Azure Ray is their "main band," it's certainly one of the most fully-realized projects for either musician. While this album is not the best example of what Fink and Taylor are capable of, it's still a pleasant listen. Most of the songs are sad and slow, but there is a tragic beauty to them as well. Maria Taylor sounds almost like a female version of Sam Beam (aka Iron and Wine), which is great. More than anything, this album is a sign of even better things to come.

Baleeted? No, but this band does have much better albums.