Phylactery Factory (CD - 2008)

White Hinterland: Casey Dienel (vocals, piano, keyboards); Jenna Conrad (cello); Arthur (upright bass); Dave Depper (electric bass); Rachel Blumberg (percussion); Peter Broderick.

White Hinterland is the recording project of singer-songwriter Casey Dienel, a talented chanteuse with a high-pitched voice and a penchant for eclectic, jazz-influenced styles. While Dienel's debut, WIND-UP CANARY, showed plenty of promise, PHYLACTERY FACTORY finds the young artist not only upping the quality of her songwriting and performances, but expanding her sonic palette considerably. From the breezy dream of opener "The Destruction of the Art Deco House" to the jaunty melody of "Hometown Hooray" to the conversational but chilly "Hung on a Thin Thread," Dienel's songcraft is impeccable, as she adds color with strings, horns, and various other instruments. A creative, well-crafted album made with care, PHYLACTERY FACTORY is a thing of quiet beauty. minimize