CHRISTINE PARKER: Between You & Me

Fallbrook native Christine Parker released an EP and full-length CD, Looking Glass, in 2013. The singer/songwriter’s pop makes full advantage of her expressive vocals. Her light pop isn’t unlike Norah Jones or Sheryl Crow, a songstress with good range, catchy songs, and a voice that melts into her music.

Her new EP is Between You & Me, and the five tunes represent an excellent glimpse of an evolving artist. Producer Masen Larsen surrounds Parker with a comparatively lush backing (full band, plenty of backup vocalists singing high “ooohs”). This approach builds and fills out the songs.

“’Til the End” opens with finger-picked guitars and piano chords as Parker relates the history of her love affair-then the payoff, as the choruses take off, absolutely floating on high harmonies. On “Shine” it is more high backing harmonies, and hand claps, while her lyrics about how we all need to ramp up our love for each other click.

The magnum opus is “Hearts,” a highlight which uses walls of layered keys and guitars to wrap Parker’s voice in an ethereal cocoon, “Sail away with me, and I’ll give to you my heart.” “When I’m With You” has a nifty guitar hook and the closest to a rock beat, with Parker sweetly nailing the high notes in the snappy choruses. The last two tracks are likely the strongest here, but the entire disc shows Christine Parker’s developing talent and is a great listen.