A California girl by the books, Tristan Prettyman’s Cedar + Gold is a rustic, relaxed ode to what has been loved and lost. Beginning with “Second Chance,” the record’s initial cut is self-explanatory, detailing the short-comings of an ex-boyfriend and moving on from that. On track three, “My Oh My,” Tristan croons seductively throughout the song’s verse before leading into a chorus with an unexpected melody. A clean-cut beat bops along underneath the lyrics to this song and overall, the number is pretty predictable.
“I Was Gonna Marry You” is a song entirely dealing with Tristan Prettyman’s own breakup from her fiancée. The material on this cut is raw and honest, with an interesting melody once again in the chorus, highlighting this artist’s chops. The San Diego native vocalist and guitar player has a naturally smooth sound reminiscent of the first folk-oriented female singers of America. Six tracks in is“Bad Drug,” which takes on a sensual vibe with its low, thumping, 311-type beat, and giving the listener a break from the pining theme of the album. “Glass Jar” is another track that goes back to the main topic of the record, a break up, with an acoustic guitar accompaniment.
Cedar + Gold blends together as you listen on without having any truly outstanding songs. Her professional experience is distributed in small spurts—a decent melody or an intriguing riff—but never does a whole track embody great musicianship. Changing the constant theme of the album once more is “The Rebound,” another number with a self-explanatory title that never really peaks. It’s not that this musician isn’t talented; it’s just that her work does not leave the zone of generic comfort.
In A Word: Common
