Holiday in Rhode Island

Listening to The Softies feels like peeking into a diary. Holiday in Rhode Island presents the most accessible means inside the humble honesty of the emotive universe of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia. Whereas lyrically the band traditionally documents a lovelorn heart in every manifestation, hope is a silver lining adorning each of these songs. The harmonies between Rose and Jen shimmer, benefiting from strong arrangements and production. Their two delicately jangling guitars and crystalline voices never need anything else, and their minimalist blueprint succeeds in filling every single space. Although with maturity comes the security and confidence to explore, and that's just what The Softies do with these tunes. Acoustic guitar embellishes "Just a Day" and "You and Only You"; piano and sparse drums color the airy "Me and the Bees," xylophone makes some subtle appearances as well.