Christianity Today

Style: Folksy acoustic pop; compare to Alison Krauss, Joni Mitchell, Colbie Caillat

Top tracks: "Widowbird," "When the Circus Leaves Town," "Put Out the Questions"

Formerly of Mosaic, Nashville's Harlow continues in that group's folk/acoustic pop/Americana tradition, while evoking classic songwriters from yesteryear. Though the disc covers a few everyday subjects (marriage, brokenness), she offers clever observations on the ordinary. With her gloriously earthy vocals and understated but often poignant instrumentation, Harlow goes out on a limb on several occasions—the scars of South African apartheid on "Cain" and the story of a foreigner who feels like a second-class citizen in "Nohemy," all while balancing feelings of hope with empathy.

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