Forest City Lovers
The Sun and the Wind
Independent

EDEN MUNRO / eden@vueweekly.com

The Sun and the Wind inhabits an ethereal territory made up of fragile songs with steady rhythms and sparse backdrops. It’s the kind of thing that Cat Power did before she went all Memphis soul on her latest album, except Burns does it even better.

The album has a gentle flow to it, taking its time while wandering through its moody soundscapes. “Castles!” opens the disc with repetitive guitar and bass lines that slowly rock back and forth, before Burns enters with a restrained vocal that sizzles in its sultriness.

“Song for Morrie” is indicative of the way the music works here, reaching out with a singing bass line and pulling you in to its swirling dream. If there’s a problem with the songs, it’s that most of them end just when you start really getting into the music. Then again, that’s exactly what Burns does so well here, playing her songs and getting out while you still want more.

And more would certainly be nice. The Sun and the Wind is painted with a myriad of instruments—banjo, trumpet, cello and ukulele, among others—giving the album a welcome depth that invites further exploration of its idiosyncrasies.