Tristan Prettyman
Cedar + Gold
Capitol Records
Producer: Greg Wells
Score: 8 out of 10
By Andy Kaufmann
They say write about what you know. Perhaps the corollary to that weary maxim is this—sing about what you’ve been through. On Cedar + Gold, Pretty- man takes her shattered engagement to fellow singer Jason Mraz and uses it as grist for the emotional payback mill. One can’t deny the power inherent in the California surfer girl’s plainspoken, confessional lyrics, the brutally honest tales showcasing her affable personality with every breath. The album’s overall pop sheen maintains a fragile subtle- ty that most won’t appreciate, but those who find resonance in the ex-model’s tale of woe and redemption will uncover a subtle majesty that only materializes after seriously meditative, introspective listens.
