Eilen Jewell doesn’t take anything for granted in her multi-faceted approach. As comfortable emitting a bluesy wail as she is in delivering a down-home croon, she eschews the folk singer format to take a more old-fashioned approach, one that’s as close to a rootsy template as any other modern singer has ventured nowadays. On this, her fourth album and second for Signature Sounds, Jewell asserts her seductive prowess and spans references ranging from Billie Holiday (“Everywhere I Go,” “Final Hour”) to Patsy Cline (“The Darkest Day,” “Codeine Arms”). In between, she varies her delivery from sassy to seductive, maintaining an easy lilt that’s melancholy and mournful without sinking to the depths of depression. An unexpected cover of “Shakin’ All Over” notwithstanding, Sea of Tears does reflect its title accurately, but given her comfort with the material, this particular sea allows her remarkably smooth sailing. (Signature Sounds)
