Tristan Prettyman Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
Although inspired by the beachside folk-pop of Jack Johnson, Tristan Prettyman pitches her tent further inland, where the sunny sounds of her influences can be personalized with shades of jazz and pedal steel twang. Twentythree saw the songwriter first attempting to coalesce those genres into something cohesive, and Hello...x joins the effort three years later, featuring a grown-up Prettyman whose vocals and songwriting have grown decidedly more polished. Inspired by a split with former boyfriend Jason Mraz, Prettyman fills Hello with breakup ballads and sexy, sauntering pop tunes, almost as if she's dismayed to be single but simultaneously excited to rediscover her freedom. A number of singer/songwriters have turned similar sentiments into chart-topping gold since Prettyman's emergence, and Hello occasionally aims for the same audience that gobbled up Colbie Caillat's Coco and Sara Bareilles' Little Voice. But the majority of her moves aren't so streamlined, and the bare-boned arrangements put an emphasis on the songs' hooks without coating them in layers of glossy, unnecessary sound. Even the album's most overtly poppy track, the cool 'n' cocky "Handshake," is too risqué for radio playback, since Prettyman's lyrics about being "up against the wall with [her] clothes coming undone" don't suit the stations that would normally play these tunes alongside selections by Norah Jones and Missy Higgins. Prettyman is most at ease when she ditches the desire to write the next "Bubbly" and, instead, steadily chips away at her own niche, a move that might not garner any Jack Johnson-sized fame but does unearth such gems as "In Bloom." With pianos and strings underscoring Prettyman's somber delivery, "In Bloom" is a moving finale, a late-night ode to heartache that is so forlorn, the key doesn't even resolve itself at the end. Perhaps that's a strange move for someone who previously gravitated toward sun-kissed songcraft, but Hello is proof that Prettyman has grown into a full-fledged musician, not just a former surfer-turned-model who thought strumming chords was more promising than chasing waves. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tristan Prettyman hails from the same San Diego singer/songwriter scene that bred Jason Mraz, but her songs aren't as winking or orchestrated -- they usually just rely on her tasteful, slightly flirty lilt out front and an acoustic guitar. In fact, Twentythree is almost purely acoustic, which makes its gentle folk-pop sound more genuine. Mraz duets with Prettyman on "Shy That Way," and they share a sideman in the talented Michael Andrews. "Love Love Love" also has a bit of that loopy unplugged funk that drives most of Jack Johnson's work, so it's pretty clear where Virgin has slotted the album. But it's never overproduced -- "Always Feel This Way" even sounds like it was recorded live, maybe back in one of those San Diego coffeehouses. The song's also a great example of how Prettyman assumes the phrasing of Ani DiFranco without being too earnest about it. Twentythree's quietest moments might be its most rewarding. "Electric" glimmers like the aqua Pacific sky over windy pedal steel, while "Simple as It Should Be," is just her, some brushed percussion, and warm acoustic strumming. G. Love's harmonica adds color, but it's really about the way Prettyman's voice nearly cracks on all the high notes. Tristan Prettyman gives you the key to her album in its title. Twentythree isn't jazzily sophisticated beyond her years, or juiced with ear-popping hooks for radio. It's the work of a woman with some stories to tell -- about love, about life's left turns, about remembering to breathe -- before you finish your drink and head out into the world. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
