The new EP from Lauren Spear, going by the name Le Ren here, is the affecting product of a death. Spear's ex died in a car crash and the resulting period of reflection birthed this project of Spear's. The compositions on this Secretly Canadian release are helped by Spear's strong voice.
"How to Begin to Say Goodbye" is light and airy, part Joni Mitchell, while "If I Had Wings" has a country twang to it. The numbers are fairly straightforward, with mid-tempo charms about them. Le Ren's voice makes up for any sameness to the material, luckily, as even the wonderfully-titled "The Day I Lose My Mind" doesn't move nearly as much as it should, especially if a listener knows the back-story of this singer. Lauren Spear has a great voice and a listener to this EP is likely anxious to hear more varied material from her in the future.
[Photo: Mariah Hamilton]