Summer at Shatter Creek

This is the second album for Summer at Shatter Creek, which is essentially the solo work of LA songwriter Craig Gurwich. The sound of All the Answers really gets under your skin quickly with slow, melancholic folk that is right at home on the Badman label. Recorded at home some time ago with minimal equipment, the sound is surprisingly full, with layers of soft vocals and a range of sounds and instrumentation thanks to Gurwich’s skill at multi-tasking. There is a lot of pain here, and this is far from being a cheery listen. Loss of innocence, alcoholism and other difficult themes play out during the album’s nine tracks, and it’s Gurwich’s fragile voice that carries them nicely. Songs like "Something to Calm Me” and the title track really reach out, tugging at the heartstrings along the way. There’s almost a fairytale quality to All the Answers, and the dreamy execution makes for a sad, but rewarding listen.