A singer/songwriter with electro-pop ambitions, soulful Texas crooner Sarah Jaffe weaves stark folk-pop narratives whose gentle melodies belie the deeper, dancefloor-ready confectioner within. Her tart, at times bluesy voice has the sepia tint of dust bowl troubadours of yore and the sad crack and throb of a '70s confessional folkie. Delicate guitar picking and literate lyrics round out the aesthetic, but Jaffe has also proved to be capable of kicking up a full-band rumble as well, with albums like Suburban Nature, Don't Disconnect, and Bad Baby, pointing to a decidedly punky force behind the quiet facade. ~ Paula Carino