To Run More Smoothly

Review

Sue Garner's soft and natural delivery make her sound very close, as if she is singing to the listener personally. Contributing to the intimate atmosphere of this album are members of Yo La Tengo (drummer Georgia Hubley) and Garner's own Run On (violinist Katie Gentile and husband/keyboardist/programmer/percussionist Rick Brown). The album, engineered by Chris Stamey (dB's), is very song-oriented and human, and such a warm record that is so rich in feeling is a rare commodity in these days of brash guitar dominance. While Garner does not display dynamic range or exceptional technical ability, she earns high praise for compiling solid, poetic songs and voicing them with an authentic and honest style. Bookending the collection are its most effective, spartan ballads exploiting Garner's genuineness and slightly Southern accent. The middle selections are more patchy. Quite hectically arranged, this recording allows only islands of cleverness to surface.