Annie Hayden: The Enemy of Love (Merge)

On her sophomore recording, The Enemy Of Love, Annie Hayden wears her folksy heart on her sleeve. “Hip Hurray,” “Your Carnival” and “Wait For Returns” find Hayden casting herself in the mold of ’70s singer songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Carole King, while “Anytime,” “Money Trouble,” and “Boos” sound similar to simple, lo-fi artists like Lois Maffeo and Mirah. “Weather” adds a dash of twang, but for the most part Hayden and her backing band stick to a prescription of straight folk-pop rendered with acoustic and electric guitars, piano, drums and bass. Sometimes Hayden sounds like Mary Lou Lord might if she wrote decent songs, other times she sounds like Julie Doiron if she were more concerned with crafting poppy hooks. The danger that Hayden’s music faces is the same one that challenges “nice girls.” In a world where so many women are willing to tart themselves up shamelessly to get noticed, the quiet, naturally beautiful ones often go unnoticed. It’s the same in music; style usually trumps substance. At first, The Enemy Of Love may sound quite plain but, after repeated listens, certain details emerge that reveal how good an album it really is: like the dreamy cascading harmony vocals on “Cara Mia” or the jazzy beats and swinging rhythm of “Willie’s Fortune.” Hayden also delivers a sublime cover of the Replacements’ “Swingin Party.”