On Lighthearted ‘My Tiny Twilight,’ Dawn Landes Delights Kids and Grown-ups Alike

Dawn Landes’ My Tiny Twilight EP bloomed out of the “exhaustion, bewilderment, and pure love” that followed the birth of her daughter. This collection of six folk songs — the follow-up to the Nashville-based singer/songwriter’s 2018 LP Meet Me at the River — is playful and kid-friendly, but its lighthearted lyrics and bright soundscapes are suitable for anybody in need of fun and a little quiet time, too.

My Tiny Twilight is divided into daytime- and nighttime-appropriate listening. On opener “Hello,” Landes basks in sunlight and greets everything around her as a glistening keyboard — played by Landes’ husband Creighton Irons — sings sweetly around her. The next track, “I’m Your Mama,” is a brief and lively foot-stomping number that overflows with love.

EP highlight “Everybody’s Dream” has a familiar Landes-style twang to it and feels light enough to hop on the back of a bubble that’s caught in a warm summertime breeze. Within, she offers some pragmatic advice that’s appropriate for all — “You can’t have ice cream for supper. You know it will make you sick” — while encouraging you to dream big.

On the EP’s final three songs, Landes’ dulcet tones sway you into reverie. “I’m Wishing on a Star” has a waltzing pace and a softly plucked guitar melody that dances you to sleep, and on “Baby Please,” another lullaby-like song, Landes soothes her fussy child but her words of love are for anybody: “I’d do anything to dry your tears,” she repeats.

The EP closer, “Hushabye,” was the first song of this batch that Landes wrote. It was conceived when Landes turned to the piano to calm her crying daughter. Fittingly, it’s a tender and hushed track, and it’s where Landes reveals the heart of her EP: “Just listen to the music and feel fine.”

Listeners of all ages will find something to like about the soft glow of My Tiny Twilight.