The opening four songs on this debut album from California 19-year-old Claire Rosinkranz zip by in under 10 minutes. A blur of rapid-fire lyrics delivered in a slightly grating sing-speak cadence, and all with a similarly mid-tempo, indie-pop skip, they feel tricky to grab on to. It’s an offputting start to an album that eventually finds its footing on the lilting, loved-up Swinging at the Stars, which clocks in at a relatively epic 3:43.
From there, Rosinkranz opens up her voice, sighing sweetly over the Smashing Pumpkins-esque indie rock of Screw Time, which finds her looking back at her short life with misty-eyed nostalgia. Highlight Wes Anderson crystallises the feeling of trying to refocus your priorities following a lousy relationship, while Polarized explores a fraying friendship over booming, echo-laden drums and staccato strings that add some much-needed energy and drama.
Overall, whether she’s singing about loss or love, Rosinkranz’s laidback delivery and breezy sonic palette can mean everything has a flattening sense of carefree abandon or, worse, a non-committal detachment. When she pushes the needle, however, the songs come to life, which augurs well for the future.
