My only complaint about this album is that it’s only seven songs long, and I would already love to hear more from this rising Americana singer/songwriter. By artfully blending together the sounds of folk and indie rock with her own personal style, Naomi Greenwald produces a modern yet nostalgic vibe. Her songs are infused with a strong and steady pulse of passion, riding an emotional crest yet somehow managing to never quite crash into a climax. You might automatically assume that might be unfulfilling, but her subdued intensity just burns all the longer for it.

This collection of songs is not about oscillating between highs and lows but about integrating them. With markedly upbeat tempos driving the score, Naomi’s melancholy-tinged vocals and mournful string arrangements create a striking yet harmonious contrast. It’s almost as though she has tempered her wild spirit through enough experience to learn how to harness multitudes of emotion without breaking her steady and controlled surface.

“Lonesome” is the most gripping song on the EP. It starts up in full force with a playful, fast-paced beat and a dreamy guitar lead, and Naomi wastes no time launching in with her rich, breathy vocals, confessing her mistakes to a lover with such simple honesty that you can tell the emotions translated straight to lyrics, leaving no room or need for further fabrication or elaboration. The lush layers created by the vocal harmonies during the chorus open up a whole new dimension, as they are more expressive and color in emotional undertones existing beneath the exterior.

The twanging slide guitar on “Secret Assembly” embodies her folk sound and feels like a slow dance seduction between two lovers circling one another. This song is a good example of how she manages to make the verses catchier than the chorus and sometimes even more climactic than the bridge, yet pulls the entire piece together in a way that feels balanced and natural.

The finger-picking guitar leads in “Be Well Away” show off her compositional skills and ability to create a truly powerful and moving piece with just the right combination of fairly simple elements. Each track on this EP ranges from good to grand, and I have little doubt that the next release of this newcomer will be of the same caliber.