Catie Curtis Provides Sweet Solace

If Catie Curtis was your kid sister, you’d never get tired of having her around. Her mere presence would provide the proverbial breath of fresh air, and every utterance would be showered with affection and affirmation. Sadly, we know most siblings aren’t always so delightful, so the next best thing is to hear her sing, and allow her gentle tones to share encouragement. That’s especially true in the case of her charming new endeavor, While We’re Here, an album that offers spiritual solace even while confronting the failings that inevitably intrude on love and romance. Filled with songs that are sweetly pervasive and softly subdued, the soothing sentiments are entirely infectious throughout. “The way you love me/I feel so strong/The way you love me, I could go on and on,” she coos on the sublime yet celebratory “The Way You Love Me,” one of several standout songs in the set. Likewise, even though Curtis is rarely as upbeat and effusive, she’s consistently pondering the positive, with the thoughtful and subdued “Don’t Belong In This World” and the light and lilting “You Are Loved” each a reflection of unflagging optimism. For the most part, Curtis seems content to simply put her listenesr at ease, forestalling any hint of dark premonition and ensuring that when one hopes hard enough, even the most distant dreams are sometimes within reach.