Ghost of a Gardner, the third album from Vermont's Rachel Ries, has been the subject of heady praise from numerous sources and listening to the record explains exactly why. The ten track collection is filled to the brim with compelling and evocative instrumentation, all anchored around Ries' delicate vocals (which, incidentally, hark back to some of Fiona Apple's earlier work), exposing her as a seriously talented musician and lyricist.
Songs such as 'Holiest Day', 'I See It Coming' and 'You Can Go' are album standouts, imbued with a unique voice and allow Ries' personality to shine through with each successive note. 'With Or Without You' reminds of the wilfully somber tones of Aimee Mann - but that's not to say that Ries is dealing in counterfeit.
Successive listens to Ghosts of a Gardener reveal more each time. At first glance, it may seem a little light and restrained but each time you revisit it, a new layer is revealed until you finally see the full picture. And isn't that the key to any good album?
