Sonically and thematically, the album employs a fragile friction between the elements in order to mirror the delicate dance that is life and, indeed, death. From the oil-stained banks of Louisiana in “Black Ribbons” to the “cliffs at Echo Bay” in “Everything Falls Away,” the songs are melancholic and mournful, somber and sober — a glorious collocation of noir themes tempered by gorgeous melodies. The roughly hewn guitars cut in just the right ways and the sweeping strings tug at all the right places, making the whole work feel effortless, timeless. On top of it all, Peters’ voice is like a tender kiss that seems to make a wound hurt just a little bit less, even though it doesn’t really.

To read the review in its entirety, view it at Folk Alley’s website.