Edith Frost’s music has always had a certain derivative quality to it.Past releases have always hewed a little too close to the alt-countryline to make it stand out amongst the rest. Her previous release,Wonder, Wonder, saw her incorporating more overt pop flourishes toprovide her well-defined sound with a few more options. On It’s a Game,Frost strips her sound to its basics, both returning to herwell-defined sound yet tweaking it just slightly so as to providelittle gems that allow the record to avoid rote repetition.
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It’s a Game meanders slowly, awkward hand holding and sunny summerdays, floating above warm organs and Frost’s unadorned, warm voice.While the majority of the instrumentation on the album is spare andhushed, Frost side-steps the alt-country pigeonhole simply because sheavoids a great deal of the ostentation and melodrama that can be partand parcel of the genre. Rather, the gentle swing and warm bass fromolder Country &Western and Honky Tonk, along with a subtle popstreak, makes the majority of these songs a pleasure to listen to.
On“A Mirage,” Frost sketches a tale of lost love over a simple chord thatrises and falls with her spare guitar picking and voice. Even better is“My Lover Won’t Call,” a beautiful and melancholy torch song about thepain of waiting for something you know won’t come. Much like the musicfound here, Frost’s plain, yet personal lyrics are neither trite norponderous. Rather, they naively explore the every day highs and lows ofrelationships, reveling in each. It’s a Game is a charming record, andwhile it probably won’t win over any new fans, those already familiarwith her work will surely be delighted.
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