Aura* – Columbine

COLUMBINE, Aura Dione's debut, starts in earnest singer-songwriter territory with "Glass Bone Crash," and that impression doesn't change with the slide guitars of "Little Louie," even though there's a hint of a beat in the background. But it comes more to the fore in "Something from Nothing," which is much more pop--oriented, and extends into "Stay the Same" and the "Song for Sophie." A country-western twang finds its way onto "You Are the Reason," an unabashed love song. But all that explodes with the pop-breaks confection of "I Will Love You Monday," before settling back down into the couch for "Clean Hands," and stripping everything away for "Are You For Sale." Even though Aura Dione seems capable of handling both ends of this spectrum, ending the album on the gentle "Lulla Goodbye." A pleasing experience overall.