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Album reviews Music

Eleanor Friedberger

On her third solo album, Eleanor Friedberger continues to smooth out her herky-jerky tendencies. Light years away from her days in prog-rocky Fiery Furnaces with her brother, Matthew, Friedberger now delivers streamlined indie pop, a little bit countrified this time around. While still distinctly Friedbergian, her melodies move around smoothly in a newfound singsongy way.

New View has a natural breeziness, like the soundtrack to taking A Long Walk (also the name of the final song). A little rough around the edges, the album is pleasantly calm while simultaneously tapping into anxieties in its lyrics. Friedberger describes (hoped for and real) romantic relationships intimately yet with the level-headedness that comes with distance. -Impressive ballad Never Is A Long Time is devastating but cool.

Most notable is the albums full-bodied instrumentation. Shes got a band hard at work (far from her 2011 days standing alone on the Horseshoe stage with just a guitar), and the most special moments come via warm rushes of organ and especially the nimble, verbed-out guitar licks.

Top track: Your Word

Eleanor Friedberger plays the Drake Hotel on February 22. See listing.

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