Way Down Low in Bloomington, MN

Branching away from standards on her second album
Way Down Low
, Austin-based jazz vocalist
Kat Edmonson
also expands her musical worldview, going beyond the sophisticated cabaret of her 2009 debut
Take to the Sky
and creating a breezy neo-tribute to the swinging '60s. That was the decade that produced
Brian Wilson
's "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times," one of the few covers on
and a sentiment that applies to
Edmonson
but in a different way. Where
the Beach Boy
was pining for the days before rock & roll,
would certainly feel more comfortable in either the '60s or '50s, where bossa nova, swing, and pop mingled happily, as they do here. Certainly, these sounds give
a distinctly retro vibe, but
isn't living in the past, she's pledging allegiance to a tradition, a tradition she finds flexible enough to refashion for modern times. And
is a modern girl -- after all, she funded the production of
via Kickstarter, a move that gave her artistic freedom and professional production, taking full advantage of those two elements.
is rich and varied, as are
's girlish vocals, which never succumb to cloying sweetness or stereotypical scatting. She's nimble and creative within the boundaries of her chosen traditions, which is why
feels simultaneously fresh and timeless. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine