Caitlin Rose – The Stand In

Caitlin Rose is a true Southern belle – her music fits the archetype of her Nashville heritage perfectly. Her voice has all the twangs and inflections that form the vocal style of Deep South American country folk songs.

The Stand In is Caitlin Rose’s third studio album since she left the relatively local fame of her indie band Save Macaulay. Her second album Own Side Now met with critical acclaim, making it into some critics’ Top 10 Albums of 2011. Now with her new album, she is taking a darker, more melancholic turn.

With the preliminary strums of the guitar on the opening track No One to Call, you can tell you are in for a belter: the powerful music from the band contrasts well with the softly sung, sorrowful lyrics of Caitlin, and starts the album off on the right foot. This is followed by three traditional country tunes, all ably performed, and well placed to settle the listener in.

Pink Champagne starts a second movement in the album, changing the pace with a slower, increasingly reflective sound. The vocal moves to the front of the fray and wistfully carries the song along, until the eighth track, Everywhere I Go, which starts the third act. Here, the musicians take control of the first half, departing from their country style, and Caitlin’s voice takes on a more mainstream timbre, losing a little of the Deep South vibe and coming into its own. The next three songs maintain this atmosphere until the last track, which is the stand-out track of the album. Old Numbers features brass, which really adds something to the sound, and ends on a high, making this an honestly enjoyable album.

Verdict: ••••

Andrew Collins

The Stand In was released on 25th February 2013, for further information visit here.