Breathless – Miranda Lee Richards
Sometimes you just want to feel safe. You want a friendly smile, a warm blanket, a voice that breathes like a summer breeze, and a guitar that says “you know, it’s all going to be alright.”
Miranda Lee Richards offers precisely that on her new record Light of X. In the wrong mood, or with a jaded attitude, you might call it overproduced. Or you might wonder about the desire to smooth away every possible rough edge. But if you give up on your cynicism, you just might remember that everyone needs a little comfort now and then, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone who won’t admit to liking, at least on occasion, a sleepy ballad with a heart of gold probably isn’t worth your time.
To be sure, you have to be in the right mood. And there’s no doubt that this record is best when she’s emulating her folk heroes (Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Mazzy Star) and worst when it drifts into Sixpence None the Richer territory. Fortunately, the former is quite a bit more common than the latter. “Breathless” is my favorite, but “Savorin’ Your Smile,” “Olive Tree,” and “Hideaway” are also quite good. And even the less memorable tracks have little bits to make you smile: a great pedal steel riff here, a little blues shuffle there.