Gosh, ten years since her last one! Cantrell was already a real favourite of mine by the time she released No Way There From Here in 2013 and that hasn't diminished despite the lack of new music since. So it's more than fine with me that Just Like A Rose basically feels like picking up where she left off - some subtly different textures, a bit of dabbling in adjacent genres, but all very recognisable and welcomely so.
The modesty and clarity of her singing is still there, and so's the catchiness of her songwriting - it says something that H, age 2 1/2, was singing along to part of the bridge/chorus of "Brand New Eyes" by the time it repeated on her first listen - and the facility with surprising, pleasing little musical flourishes and turns. There's plenty of yearning, and lively moments too. The melodies feel unforced, but are rarely predictable. Early favourite: "I'm Gonna Miss This Town".
