Album Review: Julie Byrne - Not Even Happiness

It's been said before, but Julie Byrne's got that Joni Mitchell thing going on, meandering through folky feelings and slenderly plucked strings, describing the scenery with expansive yet laconic candour.

Not Even Happiness is Byrne's second trip into this territory, while it finds her better prepared, or at least more polished in production, it's also our second trip here and it feels a little like getting a postcard from the vacation you took last year. Byrne is clearly a natural songwriter, so it's a real pity that among a handful of beautiful but interchangeable tales, the interlude is the standout.