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Autumn In Halifax - The Soft, Soft Shakes (Carbon)

This is the 6th release by David Merulla of NYC, AKA Autumn in Halifax. AiH makes mellow and homey tunes (just how I like ’em), and Merulla acknowledged this album as an effort to create a poppier release. While I haven’t heard any of his previous albums, this is loose and jangly music that seems better suited for an autumn than spring release (and not just because of the name). AiH sounds like a slacker Neil Young-Lambchop Califone hybrid, and does a great job incorporate enough quirks to keep the album interesting for the whole 53 minutes. An especially great addition is the trumpet in tracks like ‘Valedictorian’ or ‘Mend & Color Your Horses’, which Merulla keeps just far enough in the background to accent his poignant and lovelorn lyrics, or a singing saw that seems to poke its head in and out of tracks just when it’s most needed. Overall a highly recommended release that fluctuates between free-flowing folk-pop (exemplified by the opening track, ‘Sleepwalkers’) and mellower vibe sessions (such as ‘Waltzing’).

-Fleet Admiral Zipper