Reni Lane

Ready (Custard/Universal Motown)

By Amanda Stovall
Published: April 12th, 2010 | 5:30am

Reni Lane’s sophomore album, Ready, is a fitting freshman major label release from a twenty-two-year-old singer-songwriter who is new to the non-independent scene. As such, the songs are an age-appropriate tribute to feeling lost, transitional, and the importance of belonging.

While much of Ready attempts to sound sultry and mature, the simple snare drum and single guitar notes that accompany many of the songs sound as though they should be a precursor to Lane’s first album, the independently released American Baby. On this first album, Lane’s work shined for its jazzy piano and deep vocals, both of which are sadly absent from this effort.

A classically trained musician, Lane seems to have succumbed to the push of a major label to appeal to a mainstream audience with safe choices: dreamy techno-inspired backgrounds that provide background music for her childlike voice. Unfortunately, the songs never sweep the listener to the places they aspire to go and the listener can’t help but feel that Lane stopped short of reaching her full potential on this album.

As songs like “Place For Us” find their place as television theme songs, it is hopeful that the success will allow Lane to have more creative license on the next album. Something within Lane is on the verge of exploding—and I hope when she does, it includes the trombone she masters—but with this release, it seems Reni Lane is not quite Ready to exploit all of her talent…yet.

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Custard

Universal Motown