American Pastoral
The title of Damien DeRose’s third album as Peasant comes from a street in Doylestown, Pa., a small town outside of Philadelphia. Shady Retreat perfectly describes his brand of laid-back, low-key folk-pop; Upbeat tempos shimmer on the surface, but darker thoughts lurk in the cool space below. With DeRose producing, playing all the instruments and singing like a less caustic Isaac Brock, Shady Retreat has a generous amount of what sounds like natural reverb, as if recorded in open air with a terrific view. The notes seem to dissipate in the space between the speaker and the ear, which makes every hesitant strum sound like it might be the last. That effect makes for some pleasant moments, but occasionally dulls the hooks and flattens out the melodies, robbing the album of its sharper edges. However, DeRose can be a sly songwriter, crafting his songs to reveal more detail and activity with each listen. A simple piano theme pushes opener “Thinking” along at a breezy clip, turning that earworm melody into one of the album’s most potent hooks. And odd hoofbeat percussion gives “Prescriptions” the intimacy of a cowboy campfire song, suggesting that Peasant is best when it’s at its least predictable.