Quiet Signs - Jessica Pratt (2019)

I agree that algorithms suck, and I won’t argue about how spotify commodifies music and makes it harder for musicians to get mindshare.

But damn, sometimes it does exactly what I want it to and finds something I’ve never heard of that I really enjoy.

Pratt’s record played as a suggestion after I was done being quite bored with the intended listen of the day. The piano at the beginning was interesting enough to get me to spin the whole record, and I’m so glad I did.

The stripped down songcraft goes well with her guitar technique and her hushed, chill voice.

So give the algorithm credit where it’s due: nice work, Spotify.

Tracks I Liked

Opening Night - a spooky piano-driven intro that sounds like you might be getting a jazz album (or maybe an album of Satie renderings). You’re not, but it’s a great scene-setter

As The World Turns - our first glimpse of what most of the record sounds like: spectral, spare, hushed, and utterly gorgeous

Poly Blue - a tune so good you don’t even get distracted by the fact that it borrows subtly but heavily from On Broadway

Crossing - a nice baroque-sounding guitar figure fleshed out with typically amazing vocals