review by Gillian Laurel Brauns vocals on Periphery bleed into the edges of sensation, nostalgia and sentiment, stirring in the listener hope and memory. How to define Periphery? When I walked into the local record store that was playing the CD. I was immediately interested in the artist. Periphery has a base foundation of neo-folk definition with a little bit of soothing 70s sound mixed in. The album relies most heavily upon Laurel Brauns' beautiful vocals. She has a very accomplished voice that can chamelion itself into a thousand different and equally pleasing variations. The second strength to this album is the sometimes understated but always strong, acoustic guitar and violin. The violin especially adds a dramatic and appreciated flare. To me, Periphery, is comparable to a feminine version of a Ryan Adams' album. Laurel Brauns voice sounds akin to a blend of Natalie Merchant, Ani DiFranco and Jewel. I would say that Periphery would most appeal to a younger set, since the lyrics are a little early twenties-centric. Anyone would enjoy her voice though. Since I bought Periphery it hasn't been out of my CD player and since she plays locally I'm planning on seeing her live. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone.
