When singer-songwriters seem to hide behind their instruments, avoiding eye contact but smiling coyly all the same, you’re left with the kind of music made by Juan Wauters. Born in Uruguay and now based in New York, he’s written a second album of ramshackle, lo-fi folk-pop that feels both apologetic and timidly knowing. The former Beets frontman’s simplistic, anecdotal lyrics and use of breathtakingly basic chord progressions situate the album firmly in safe, DIY-acoustic territory. Few songs run for more than three minutes – and that may be a blessing for listeners who haven’t yet warmed to Wauters’ slightly nasal voice, which swoops from one note to the next over piano, guitars and skittish drums. There are clear-eyed moments of introspection and observation, as on I Was Well and This Is I, but overall the album suffers from a lack of ingenuity.
