Vetiver

Coming on the heels of their excellent exploration of obscure folk rock nuggets, Thing Of The Past, along with their work on Gary Louris's acclaimed Vagabonds, expectations are starting to heighten for this normally laidback San Francisco quartet. Thankfully, they haven't altered Vetiver's approach at all on this fourth full-length effort. From the gorgeous opening swells of "Rolling Sea," the band's deceptively simple, naturalistic approach is in top form, allowing the barely perceptible shifts between country and sun-kissed pop to cast an irresistible spell. In fact, the intimacy that's once again achieved on Tight Knit often borders on unnerving. Yet, singer/guitarist Andy Cabic's J.J. Cale-like, breathy vocals and impressionistic lyrics maintain a calm ambience throughout, making Tight Knit a logical candidate to potentially follow Fleet Foxes into the mainstream. However, it seems obvious from their overall approach that Vetiver are content to develop at their own pace, and Tight Knit is a big step forward in that regard.