Internal Combustion

iTunes Review

There’s something of a hippie vibe to Internal Combustion’s folk/pop sounds and introspective lyric approach. Singer/songwriter Rain Perry makes her home in the bohemian enclave of Ojai, California, which may contribute to the wide-eyed idealism and playful sensuality found in these tracks. Perry’s vocal style — landing somewhere between Edie Brickell and the softer side of Patti Griffin — adds a jazzy cadence to both originals like “The Compartmentalized Thing” and a sly acoustic reworking of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” As a writer, she is a sharp-eyed observer of everyday tragedies (“Ambulance Song”), smooth-talking preachers (“So You’re The Muse”) and her own creative process. She manages to put her own stamp on songs by composers as different as Paul Simon (“Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War”) and Bob Seger (“Till It Shines”). Though she favors a low-key approach, Perry makes a strong impression through her literate tunes, creative taste in covers, and overall freewheeling spirit.