Live releases can generally be pretty hit or miss affairs. For every Frampton Comes Alive leviathan, there’s a plethora of sloppy, low quality bootlegs filled with echoed vocals, tired performances and out of tune guitars. However, when you can capture a great voice, honest songs, stellar playing and a gorgeous sounding space all at the same time, you’ve got magic on your hands. Such is the case with the newest offering from Angel Snow, Live at Eddie’s Attic. This six song release showcases Angel’s gentle, soothing voice and her relaxed, back porch conversation style songwriting as she’s sparsely accompanied by a couple of talented instrumentalists. Atmospheric pedal steel, finger-picked acoustic guitar and even a cool, delayed harmonica all do their part to enhance Angel’s bluesy folk songs that exist somewhere between Indigo Girls and Emmylou Harris. Even when she really opens her voice up, it’s still smooth and controlled and never overpowering in any way. Songs like “California,” “Holiday” and “As You Are” (featuring the aforementioned tastily effected harmonica) show Angel’s genuine talents, both vocally and lyrically. After a few listens, my favorite song from Live at Eddie’s Attic is “Coals and Water.” This smoky, minor key dirge is haunting in the best possible way and I had to listen to it a few times in a row before it would let me go. Angel is already working on her next album (currently slated for a fall release) and if Live at Eddie’s Attic gives a taste of things to come, it’ll be well worth the wait.

When writer Will Hodge isn’t closer to fine, you can find him running off at the keyboard about music, concerts and vinyl at My So-Called Soundtrack