The follow-up to
Midnight Sister's 2017 debut,
Saturn Over Sunset,
Painting the Roses takes the cinematic, stylized art pop of wispy-voiced vocalist
Juliana Giraffe and producer
Ari Balouzian in still more adventurous directions. After setting the stage with the sultry, retro chamber pop of "Doctor Says" -- replete with string flourishes, early rock references, and Twin Peaks-ian echo effects -- it veers into a devoted disco on songs including "Sirens." With reference to a "hot summer's day," that track slinks across the dancefloor in platform sandals, with cowbell in hand and a brass section at the ready. They revisit the style later, on the dance club-themed "Limousine." Partly inspired by a trip by
Giraffe to visit family in Argentina,
Painting the Roses makes musical reference to South America with touches like the tango influence on "Doctor Says" and the sun-tanned vintage vocal pop of "Song for the Trees," which offers steel guitar, ukulele, and vibes of both kinds. Passing moments, places, and encounters make up the bulk of the track list's subject matter, however, and "Wednesday's Baby" concerns the companionship of
Giraffe's rescue dog. An intimate, affectionate song, it mainly sticks to acoustic instrumentation, as does the theatrical "My Elevator Song," whose playful approach involves a walking bass line behind warped chamber pop. The album's closing title track has the sveltest arrangement yet, with just layered vocals, strings, and keyboard-based components until electronic noise and effects join its score-like finish. Mercurial but persistently larger than life, even in quieter moments, the sophomore set doesn't yield quite as many memorable hooks as
Midnight Sister's debut but still holds fascination. ~ Marcy Donelson
