After the disbandment of Mazzy Star, Hope Sandoval went solo with a new band called the Warm Inventions, producing warm music reminiscent of her old band. And the EP "Suzanne" is a solid follow-up to her debut solo album, with delicate folk-pop instrumentation and Sandoval's delicate voice.
It opens with the strummy, tinkling ballad "Suzanne," (which is slightly shorter than the album version) followed by the melancholy keyboard-augmented "I Thought You'd Fall For Me" and the stripped-down folkiness of "These Things." Sandoval wraps up with the perkier acoustic pop of "Friends of a Smile."
Don't expect Mazzy Star all over again -- Sandoval's sound is a bit airier and spacier than her old band. Not to mention a wee bit sultrier, more in tune with their later works. But Sandoval sticks close to the acoustic folkpop sound that suits her best, mostly guitar accompanied by a bit of delicate chiming and keyboard that sounds like organ.
Her vocals are the highlight of this EP -- they're delicate, sweet and a bit sexy. And the songwriting is pretty much ordinary ("I don't think I'll come around/ letting my hair hang down") with the occasional flash of brilliance ("Won't you let your light shine/beneath the city/under the sun/and soft around").
Hope Sandoval's "Bavarian Fruit Bread" was a solid solo debut, and "Suzanne" is a good EP to follow it. Definitely worth checking out.
