Oklahoma native (and recent visitor to Dingle for the Other Voices TV series) Samantha Crain has released two albums with varying degrees of success in the US – and her third is unlikely to make her an international name. Recorded and mixed in just nine days, Kid Face is far from awful, but the 27-year-old's brand of rustic Americana simply lacks that crucial attention-grabbing facet. Paint is one of the better songs here, echoing the shadowy, haunted nature of a track such as Gillian Welch's Caleb Meyer. It's one of several songs that blends rootsy country violin with piano and acoustic guitar, Crain's quivering twang providing an even, steady pivot point not unlike Cold Specks. Nonetheless, the overriding tone soon becomes bland, making for a nice but non-essential album. samanthacrain.com
Download: Paint, Sand Paintings