As one half of the Belle Brigade with elder sister Barbara, Ethan Gruska released two albums of harmony-drenched west-coast rock. His solo debut is an altogether more sparse affair, his voice often backed by just piano or, on occasion, acoustic guitar. With the exception of Rather Be, the incongruously rocking Time Is the Healer and the quite wonderful Reoccurring Dream, the effect is to largely bury the hooks that defined his previous outfit. His newfound minimalism does bring his lyrics to the fore – opener The Valley offers unflinching snapshots of childhood and young heartbreak – and there are echoes of the late Elliott Smith throughout, but too often these hushed arrangements fail to engage.
