Syrupy sweet and daydreamy, Halle Jane has narrowed the wide scope of Art Circus, which made its arty, hodgepodge debut nearly seven years ago as a project for her, about a dozen other girls and Robert Ellis Orrall. Now it’s just Halle on her own for the follow-up, which is one of the three July 2012 releases on Infinity Cat’s sister label, Plastic 350 Records.
An influence of Madi Diaz’s unassuming sweetness and acoustic pop sense mixed with whirly piano, earnest vocals and glossy production that make it sound like an ultra girly version of Owl City, Apples & Oranges is pastel-colored, cotton candy pop filled with peach and apple pie, whipped cream and kisses. Produced by Orrall, it’s clear he knows how to tap into his inner girl. The lyrics read like diary entries addressed to some unknown dude, and Halle completely takes over them, making them her own as she unabashedly sings about some extremely heartfelt, sticky stuff on the topic of love and relationships.
Though the record could soundtrack an 11-year-old girl’s birthday party, Apples & Oranges isn’t a fluff pop record; there are intrigues here, like Halle’s unusual voice, which is soft, but substantial with an inquisitive lilt. And though the record is hooky beyond belief, it isn’t tiring to listen to, keeping pretty quiet and on an even tempo throughout, so that Apples & Oranges comes out endearing and infectious, rather than overtly sappy. – Jessica Pace
