Joshua Radin released his second album in September, but due to being jobless and generally overwhelmed by good music, I just purchased it on iTunes today.
I am already in love with Simple Times and wish I would have purchased it sooner. If you are already a fan of Radin's comforting, brooding melodies, I think you'll be pleased with the new album. If you just can't get in to Radin's whispery style, I think you still may enjoy his new album. Though he stays true to the sound we heard of We Were Here, as well as his earlier EPs, Simple Times offers new variety and range.
The album starts with "One of Those Days," which features Radin's trademark use of layered vocals and twinkling xylophone sounds (at least I think that's a xylophone?). "I'd Rather Be With You" and "Vegetable Car" are both uncharacteristically upbeat (well, as upbeat as Joshua can get) and offer some complexity of sounds (especially "Vegetable Car"). Also, if anyone knows what a vegetable car is, I would love to know.
My personal favorites on the album are "Free of Me" and the album ender, "No Envy No Fear." The only disappointments to me are two songs that appeared on Unclear Sky, the EP Joshua released earlier in the summer. I preferred the Unclear Sky versions of both "Sky" and "You Got Growing Up to Do," but for opposite reasons. I loved the duet of "Sky" with Ingrid Michaelson, and she is either missing or extremely muted (there are female vocals, but I can't tell whether it is Ingrid or Schuyler Fisk) on Simple Times. "Growing Up" was stripped down and beautifully sad on the EP, but the version on the new album (which features Patty Griffin) is countryfied and loses a lot of the raw emotion.
That being said, overall, I love the album and definitely recommend it. If I knew how to do those little stars Kyle does, I think I'd give it 4 and a half.
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