This is what you look for in an album - originality, thoughtful lyrics, vibrant vocals, and it just plain rocks. Arnau masterfully goes from the introspective, quiet "Is That All" to the melodic rock of "Bad Day." Her band set-up is deceptively simple - acoustic guitar (played by Arnau), bass, electric guitar, drums, and percussion - but it's this simplicity that allows for such versatility. The bluesy "Darkness" jumps out as the album's best track, wryly expressing a bad relationship in the best blues style: "My baby makes me feel so good / When he don't make me feel so bad... but sometimes... it seems I only feel his darkness surrounding me / Oh no, he's not the one to blame / He's as lost in the dark as a needle is in hay." Other tracks that are not to be missed are "Simple Lie," "Bleed," and "Kamikaze." Given the quality of the music on Small Pieces at a Time, I think catching a live show would be a treat, and I'll be looking forward to Arnau's third release. Caitlin Lyon venus magazine/venuszine.com   CLOSE