A Careless Encounter

Richard Shindell’s reputation as a singer and songwriter has elevated him to the upper echelon of today’s folk vanguard, but on his new album — aptly entitled Careless — he takes a more spontaneous approach typical of someone who seems intent on defying his formula. At times it sounds deceptively simple, and for those unfamiliar with much of his previous work it might seem a tad too unassuming. Indeed, starting off the set with some standard blues by way of “Stray Cow Blues” seems a less than auspicious way to begin. The fact that he follows it with the decidedly downcast demeanor of the title track and then the casual saunter of “Infrared” sheds any hint he’s going for gravitas up until that point, and yet it doesn’t diminish the quality of the songs or the set overall. If anything, it finds him making a slight shift from his usual narrative style and into more of a personal parlance. Still, any concern about Shindell making too drastic of a shift in style is quickly allayed by the exquisitely beautiful “Your Guitar,” the solemn and reverential “Satellites” and the relatively cheery “Abbie,” the latter being a back to the country ramble executed with a pleasant hint of folksy finesse. Likewise, the easy saunter of “Atlas Choking” may belie the song’s otherwise serious intent, but no matter. Careless isn’t nearly as nonchalant as its title might suggest, but it does provide an easy listening sound as presented with a cool caress.