Reward (CD)
Cate Le Bon
Amoeba Review
08/10/2020
Cate Le Bon’s aptly-named Reward is a real winner. The quietly powerful Welsh songwriter dreamed up the album while living in relative isolation in England’s Lake District and attending a year-long architecture program where she learned to make furniture. It’s a great album creation story — and an even better album. Eschewing her usual reliance on the guitar, Le Bon turned to the piano for this new collection of songs. (Don’t worry, the guitar still makes an appearance, as does a saxophone!) The result is an intimate, slightly wistful album imbued with clarity and captivating melodies. Highly recommended.