Album Review: Caitlin Rose - The Stand-In

With the recent popularity of the ridiculously moreish cheese-fest Nashville (otherwise known as The Adventures of Gunnar and the Sexy Duck) in indie circles, it seems that genuine alt-country is enjoying a level of legitimised popularity not seen since Ryan Adams' halcyon days in the early noughties. Honey-voiced songwriter Caitlin Rose threw her hat in this ring a few years ago with her debut album, Own Side, knocking out just about every influential critic this side of Pitchfork, but not quite breaking through to any level of mainstream success. Of note here is the fact that Rose's mother Liz Rose is a songwriter in her own capacity, having penned many of Taylor Swift's biggest hits including 2009's juggernaut, You Belong With Me – although tellingly, only one on Swift's newest tween-fest, Red (it's the one that sounds a bit like U2).

All pedigree and genre-exercising aside though, Rose's second record, The Stand-In, should see her sidling in nicely with this new wave of country lovin' whilst still maintaining an obviously innate individualist streak. First single, Only A Clown, is a pretty good indication of a par score here - a real windows down, hair-in-the-breeze pop rocker – it's the kind of initially forgettable, eventually endearing tune that typifies The Stand-In. Elsewhere, we find Rose channelling Emmylou Harris on the delicately poised Pink Champagne, covering The Felice Brothers with some skill on Dallas and going out in true vaudeville fashion on Old Numbers. As a collection of songs, The Stand-In is surprisingly strong, with a loose lost Hollywood theme blending nicely with Rose's capacity for a quick-witted lyric. There's an old-fashioned romance at the core of this record, and it's that much stronger for it.