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San Antonio Express News: Before & After review
February 22nd, 2010
by Hector Saldaña
On her 12th Rounder release, the natural richness of Newcomer's voice, so distinct from the equally impressive likes of Norah Jones and Sarah McLachlan, absolutely amazes with gentle Anne Murray silkiness.
Her lovely folk alto is used to breathtaking effect time and again over the course of 13 songs. Special guest Mary Chapin Carpenter is an elegant touch of window dressing on the title track. But it's the Quaker singer-songwriter's tunes and lush Americana instrumentation that really thrill.
"If Not Now" is nearly perfect in its simplicity. The song conveys a sense of longing foreign to maudlin pop trifles. What makes Newcomer so endearing is the maturity and daring to paint such a love song with spiritual overtones.
There are moments when she taps that left-of-center, East Coast folk-circuit sound explored by the Low Anthem last year. Just as quickly, she can swoop into novelty, children's-song loveliness on "A Crash of Rhinoceros."