I’ve been a fan of Linda Draper for a number of albums now. Bridge And Tunnel is her latest and she’s got a band here, but it still has a gentle, folksy sound that sits well next to previous releases. Her songwriting is strong as ever, probably growing even better. Melody is her strong suit, or at least I find myself particularly susceptible to Draper’s particular melodic sense – she hits some satisfyingly unexpected notes, and those are the best notes. The musicianship on this is great too. The band, if it could even be called that, is never offensive in that “band” kind of way, the sound is always subtle and the orchestration contributes well to the overall effect. “Sharks and Royalty”, for example, features a quiet organ that reminds me of A Whiter Shade of Pale; churchy, maybe? These subtle touches make a nice backdrop for Draper’s distinctive voice.
This is folk, and it’s folk from New York City, but make no mistake, it’s not some pretentious psyche-folk that’s more about dressing up in sixties clothes than singing well. It also thankfully escapes falling into the trap of sounding like that overly commercial pop/folk bullshit that seems de rigeur for folksingers these days, particular female ones. No Draper’s brand of folk has a smart, pure, unpretentious sound that probably great limits it commercial potential, but makes it well worth listening to. Her best album yet.
