Title: Opened
Artist: Melissa Otto
Independent

This is a cute little album, and the sleeve images of a songbird being released from a cage are appropriate, if a little obvious. Like a little bird, her vocal flits around delicately, with only a light dusting of keyboards, acoustic guitars or deep, lowing cello providing accompaniment, so that the songs seem like spiritual lullabies. And the bluegrass rhythm of Goodbye Old Man is the only one to pick up the pace. At times it feels like she's twisting lines to fit the music - it's not seamless - but this can seem as much motif as mistake, and lends to the individuality. It's a quiet-night-in rather than big-night-out album, but is all the better for its restraint, allowing her voice to shine its little light.