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By BRIAN DARNELL
Staff Writer

Sweet Annie is the creation of Norwegian singer/songwriter Hilde Klain. In February 2008, she released a four track demo tape of original music. Drawing on Klain’s own eclectic tastes, Sweet Annie offers a unique and refreshing approach to vocal and musical performance. I recently had the privilege of listening to it.

What struck me immediately about the short album was its obvious sincerity. Sweet Annie uses instrumentation sparingly but effectively to accentuate her beautiful, haunting vocals. The simplicity in her arrangements evoke a sense of intimacy. The listener is drawn into Klain’s circle and as a part of it, is privy to her most personal secrets. The four songs on the EP are: “Little Boy”, “The Sun Will Shine Again”, “Take Me Home” and “On and On”.

I liked the song “Little Boy” from the very first listen. It begins with a simple acoustic guitar plucking as the vocalist softly sings along and like a light rainfall, a piano accompanies. The absence of a strong percussive element never leaves the listener wanting as the use of vocals, guitar and piano create a lush atmosphere as the song builds to its climax. It is simply a beautiful track.

Likewise, “The Sun Will Shine Again” and “On and On” are spartan in their presentations. There is no conceit, the songs simply offer themselves honestly and as such are easily appreciable. “Take Me Home” is clearly a departure from the other tracks. It is much more up-tempo and includes the use of more modern musical techniques. The inclusion of non-traditional instruments, programming, and loops give it a much more electronic flair. It serves to show Klain’s versatility and her ability to blend her melancholic vocal style into songs that are more mainstream.

Sweet Annie never suffers from that over-produced, generic sound that seems so prevalent with modern music. It conveys such a sense of sweetness and lightness that is instantly soothing. Easy-listening, jazz, rock, electronica are all monikers that are appropriate.

Regardless of the label one chooses; if you enjoy beautiful, evocative, thoughtfully-written music, give Sweet Annie a try.