From the jump,
Skylar Grey's sophomore outing,
Natural Causes, is drastically different from her debut. An authentic synthesis of her twin roles as both the singer formerly known as
Holly Brook and as the co-writer of some of the biggest singles in recent memory,
Natural Causes is all
Grey's vision. While her first album relied on a few high-profile guests and a radio-ready sound that sounded a bit forced, her follow-up is a lush and fully formed statement that incorporates
Grey's own influences and voice. From the misty intro, "Wilderness," which turns the dial to an Auto-Tuned
Bon Iver frequency, to the warm acoustic strum of the
KT Tunstall-meets-
Radiohead "Moving Mountains,"
Natural Causes capitalizes on atmosphere and mood, opting to skip the scattered production of
Don't Look Down and focus on earnestness and vulnerability. For those familiar with her past work, a hip-hop heart still beats on a number of tracks (she even drops a few verses). "Lemonade" bubbles to life underneath pastoral acoustic plucking, while "Off Road" swirls with distorted synths and sampled loops. Longtime mentor
Eminem contributes an aggressive verse to "Kill for You" and album highlights "Real World" and "Straight Shooter" infuse an otherwise laid-back affair with energy and attitude (courtesy of the production team KIDinaKORNER). However, as strong as the beat-heavy tracks are, the last five are truly where
Grey shines. As atmosphere swells and beats percolate, there's a distinct trip-hop mood that weaves its way through each song: "In My Garden" channels
Esthero while "We Used to Be Bad" recalls a bit of
Goldfrapp's
Seventh Tree. She finishes on the appropriately titled "Closer," a sparse piano number that haunts as well as
Bat for Lashes' more heartbreaking ballads. Throughout,
Natural Causes is comforting and luscious, the sound of an artist coming into her own. ~ Neil Z. Yeung