This is Portland native Laura Veirs’ seventh LP, and it’s very almost a concept album, albeit a non-traditional one. No, don’t run for the hills—this isn’t some pretentious prog nonsense; rather, it’s a collection of hazy ballads which evoke the heart of summer. The title track rumbles along on a bed of restrained guitar and gentle synths, Veirs musing over the very experience of summer itself, “I’m seeing fireworks/They’re so beautiful/Tell me why it hurts”. The whole thing is superbly paced, slowly building momentum until it ripens into a succession of triumphant strings, a motif which reoccurs at several points on the LP. ‘Sun Is King’ offers a more laconic approach, perfect for the dreamers out there. Then there’s the absorbing, brilliant ‘Summer Is The Champion’; driven by plonking keys, it’s a sun-kissed ballad that will certainly put a spring in the step. Not everything is immediately perfect here; some tracks are ultimately underwhelming. But, in common with Veirs’ finer efforts, each song still offers up subtleties which may take a few listenings to dredge out; check out that red-raw guitar solo on ‘Little Deschutes’ for proof. ‘July Flame’, then, is a pleasure to explore.
