Cynthia Dall

Former Sacramento resident Cynthia Dall, an erstwhile member of Bill Callahan’s music project Smog, made a smart decision to venture out on her lonesome years ago. Dall’s second effort, aided by her brother, Aaron, seeks to make her name more familiar; the disc follows on the heels of the largely overlooked Untitled, her debut. From the swell of “Zero” to the solemn but driving anecdotes found in “The Party” and “Nest of Dead Children,” Dall manages to share her stories without sounding like typical singer-songwriter drivel. Sound Restores Young Men contains moments that recall an introspective Cocteau Twins with nods to Lush and Seattle’s Jana McCall. Jim O’ Rourke of Sonic Youth even lends some production work to a few tracks, with great effect. Although somber and melancholy, Dall’s latest work is an impressive collection of music.