Jennifer Castle

Pink City is the latest LP by Jennifer Castle. Recorded throughout 2013 with longtime producing partners Jeff McMurrich and David Clarke, Castle spent the previous year touring North America behind her 2012 LP Castlemusic (including shows with Cass McCombs and Lower Dens). She entered the studio with a batch of material; not quite knowing what direction the songs would take. The results are a stirringly beautiful record every bit a step forward from its predecessor. The barer arrangements - oftentimes just piano, guitar and voice - highlighting just how good of a songwriter Castle is. There is some additional accompaniment: Owen Pallett provides string arrangements on a few tracks, the upbeat “Sparta” features a country-funk rhythm section while folk-singer Kath Bloom contributes wistful harmonica on the pining “Down River.”