New Buffalo

After the Canadian release of her sublime debut album, The Last Beautiful Day and various supporting slots on her label-mates’ tours, Sally Seltmann makes sure no one forgets about her talents with this EP which, despite some lovely moments, is entirely superfluous. Half of the songs are re-interpretations of album cuts and the other half are new compositions, and yet all add up to an approval of Seltmann’s intimacy and smoky voice, but nothing too essential. The world’s most sensitive Swede, Jens Lekman, throws his baritone into a redo of "Inside” that is actually underwhelming. The Broken Social Scene remix of "I’ve Got You and You’ve Got Me” ups the twinkle factor, yet not to a degree that makes for an improvement. The real change comes in "Version Two” of the aforementioned song, where a harsh, lone guitar accompanies Seltmann and, again, while interesting, it’s none too revelatory. Really, the problems of this EP come to light in the original songs, which are just paper-thin compared to Seltmann’s debut. Why sully such a full-blooded and beguiling statement with this entirely throw-away cash grab? Avoid this so as to give her next album the attention it will surely deserve.