Album Review: Tristen “CAVES”

by Stephanie Casino

A departure from her last accolade-inducing EP (Charlatans at the Garden Gate) Tristen’s C A V E S offers a more alluring, sophisticated, adult sound. Perhaps Tristen’s life and loves have allowed her to mature and develop, leading her to make a different kind of music.

The Illinois-born 28 year old moved to Nashville a few years back to further develop her sound; the effort was evident in her last album, Charlatans. Heavy with banjos, piano and guitar, Charlatans was an indie country/folk hit that sat well with both the American Songwriter and the Nashville Scene. Fast forward two years later, and C A V E S features a more clean, soothing sound with less banjo, less twang, less pop, less bells and whistles all together. Whether or not the change is for the better is up to the listener, but most will agree that C A V E S feels more personal and intimate than Charlatans at the Garden Gate.

With songs that offer a sneak peek into Tristen’s young adult love life, the album may seem aggressive in nature with titles like “Dark Matter”, “House of War” and “Monster”, but, in reality, the music is light, airy, and is perfect for early morning coffees on the pier or breakfast table. C A V E S is certainly coffee shop appropriate; the collection of 11 songs are ear-pleasing and soft. Tristen’s voice is the real feature here. Without the use of sharp sounds, deep bass or twang, and with an eclectic mix of background sounds, C A V E S offers somewhat a mixed-influence experience. The opening track, “No One’s Gonna Know”, is heavy in ska and reggae influence. “Catalyst”, an ode to a seemingly special man, sounds a lot like something Pat Benatar would have performed in the mid-eighties. Given that the album was mixed by producer Stephen Hague (of Pet Shop Boys and New Order fame), it’s not surprising that this album has an eighties vibe to it, be it in ska or pop form.

After listening to C A V E S a few times, one might get a sense that the music is a bit lacking in the “catchy” department. Although Tristen is known for her sweet and light voice, the tracks seem to blend together with very little divide. A deeper beat in select songs or perhaps a wider variety of tempos and sounds, may have helped C A V E S be more impactful as a full record. That being said, your listening experience might depend on the context, if all you need is a soft back beat this album will be right up your alley.

Tristen’s C A V E S is out on October 15th, via the artist’s own PUPsnake Records.