Hayden - The Place Where We Lived (2009)

Jeremy's review: Hayden's new album, The Place Where We Lived, is very good but still feels to me sort of like a b-side to his previous album, In Field and Town. It checks in at only 30 minutes and lacks enough of the moments with a sharper edge (jangly guitar solos or bursts of distortion) which his previous albums have often deftly used to counter the more dominant dour and quiet strain. The laid back groove on a few tracks is reminiscent of a country-folk Bob Dylan in his Nashville years, and these toe-tappers do balance out the slower acoustic turns. Typical of Hayden's wistful lyrics, though, the most upbeat sounding song is titled "Let's Break Up." But it's the familiar warmth and depth of his voice, both playful and sad, that brings me back every time. Check out the title track as well as "Message from London," “Dilapidated Heart,” and “Never Lonely.”