It’s Alright, Slow and Steady’s most recent EP, feels different—more mature, or maybe just straighter, simpler.

If nothing else, Lawter’s lyrics seem more serene. Before the end of the very first verse it becomes clear that Slow and Steady’s melancholy has burned off. “Without Thinking” is a satisfied sigh, a song about seeking and finding comfort, and it feels that way; though his guitar rambles like a long-lost friend desperate to catch up, Lawter sings at a patient, contemplative pace, his melody bright and sweet.

Though the rest of the EP’s seems a little more solemn, It’s Alright never loses this serenity. Take “Couple Gigs of Ram,” which tells a story of someone who loses a job after twenty loyal years. Despite these circumstances, its ornamental piano and amiable drumbeat keep the song from feeling too dire or desperate—and, like a Randy Newman or Andy Shauf song, keeps it focused on the characters, the conflict, the story. By contrast, the title track, “It’s Alright” is all electricity and momentum—all mood—with its Rhodes piano and persistent bass, its skewering guitar lead. Here, Slow and Steady sounds more curious and unconventional than ever before.

Still, It’s Alright finds Lawter maintaining his musical identity while stretching himself as a songwriter. Attribute it to experience or evolution, maturation or mutation—it’s interesting to see Slow and Steady playing grotesque pop music.

- Dane Erbach Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.