Laura Sumner | Red Clay Blue Sky
(Independent)
Like Shawn Colvin, Laura Sumner boasts a voice that turns on a dime from vulnerable to confident, a perfect balance of innocence and experience that the Hudson Valley-based folk rock singer-songwriter explores here in detail. Grammy Award-winning producer Marc Swersky bathes the effort in a lush soundscape of shimmering guitars and keyboards. "Cowboy from Queens," which struts along to Keith Richards-style power chords, is a nostalgic evocation of the joy of having been a newly arrived young artist in New York City enjoying an urban romance full of possibilities, wondering about a fateful road not taken. "Tides" is a tough breakup song that creates empathy both for the singer and the ex-, but you feel the heartache when Sumner sings "I do not love you anymore." As a five-song EP, Red Clay Blue Sky is a collection of small plates, leaving one looking forward to the delicious, full-course meal that awaits.
