6/10
Hailing from Pleasantville, New York and born into a musical family, Lauren Reiner studied vocal arts and graduated from the University of Miami in music, business, and songwriting. Evidently music runs through her veins, and where there is passion, there is usually great music. Despite her background in jazz, Lauren experiments with a blend of folk and country on her newest record, Lauren Reiner – Little Rain . Both a singer and a guitar player, she has a loaded musical CV and my expectations were high. Shall we see if they were met?
Lauren Reiner’s songs are soft and soothing, and the overall quality of the sound is much appreciated. This isn’t the type of music that will hammer you into submission, but it will calm you enough that you might find yourself in a meditative trance. “You’d Rather,” the first song off the record, starts us off with some deep lyrics and a very country inspired instrumental. “I Knew Better” keeps us in the same atmosphere, her voice accompanied by a very soft guitar track that I had trouble hearing at times. There is a welcomed guitar solo in “Like You Used To” and “Good Things” which added some variation and much-needed flair to the record. The latter also won the honourable prize of being my favourite song from the record.
There isn’t much to say from a musical point of view. Most of the music on the album is very simple, and I admit that I expected more from someone who graduated with a degree in music. Yet, I will not deny the fact that her songs are beautifully composed and that her voice carries extremely well. The vocal training gained from the Master’s School shows, and little can be said against such a pleasant vocal performance. Her forte is also found in writing, with songs about heartaches and stories from her past. When great writing is accompanied by great singing, it gives for an enjoyable experience, though I would have wanted more from the actual music.
Released on January 11th, 2019, Little Rain is a five-song EP. For a very personal experience and a delightful vibe, look no further.
Written by Johnathan Robinson
*edited by Kate Erickson
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