Ida: Lovers Prayers

Label: Polyvinyl

Ida have been making fine records since 1994, largely in an acoustic, harmony-driven space. They’re not a band to take for granted, though: when you take your eyes away from them, you might miss a left-field Prince cover, a P-Funk guest appearance, or a tangible foray into a more ambient style. On Lovers Prayers, that change-up occurs on “The Love Below”, in which cut-up vocal arcs rise above the sound of strings strummed briskly. The rest of the album stays the course set by many an Ida album before it: Elizabeth Mitchell, Daniel Littleton and Karla Schickele singing alone or in some combination over restrained, piano- or guitar-led songs. The mood here is languorous and contemplative: seemingly any of the last five songs could serve as a fine conclusion to the work appearing here. (Toby)