Pretty folk-pop
ditties emanate from the sweetly-voiced Ember Schrag on A
Cruel, Cruel Woman, which reveals no uncharted territory, but
romps on the same ground as songstresses like Cat Power and
Feist though without the trademark frills or distinctions of
either. Ember is at her best on those songs with the most memorable
melodies, including spry "Two Suns" and sweeping "The Philistine,"
although the songs' quality does seem to waver deeper into the
record. Ultimately, these tracks are universally inoffensive and
fairly charming, rendering them somewhat generic but perfectly
suited to both the indie folk faithful and the Starbucks
crowd; put simply, this music is made for your local free-trade
coffee shop.
