Lauren Adams has a CD titled Secret Heart that is infectious, the lyrics and melodies along with some sweet slide work make you want to keep listening, this is a very well done recording. The opening track "Poor To Carry It" really is stoked with emotion, the slide guitar just cuts to my heart, love the texture of her music. Produced by Nick Newell Kirgo, there are a lot of musicians from the LA scene on this disc.

"Evangeline" is a very good ballad with an edge. Lauren's vocals have a slight rasp which work well with these earthy Americana songs. This production has a quality about it that is realistic and not pro tooled. What I mean is what is there, is there. Life is like that, it is real. I looked at a Blu Ray disc picture on a demo TV once and said to myself, this is too good to be real, it was beyond reality, Lauren has music like Alison Moorer that has an edge of  reality to it. Another name that comes to mind is Kathleen Edwards, the Canadian alt/country gal.

"Smart Girl" is another outstanding song. These lyrics are about the tough realities of life, there are times that you need music that tells like it is. "Fear of Failing, Fear of Doing Too Well" , this song really is cerebral. "She was a smart girl, but she had it all wrong". Real nice guitar with some tremolo on it.  

"Everybody Else" is a song about the other people in life, some real nice harmonica and changing mid tempo rhythms. Great interaction with band members. Lots of influences in her music, country, folk, rock, a lot like Lucinda Williams style. Or another gal from out that way, Lisa O'kane.

"Thirsty" has a more acoustic sound, her vocals are more pure on this folksy, alt/country song. Wow, what lyrics!!! That slide player is excellent, he plays with such emotion, such great tone and sustain. Adams goes up a bit in the middle of the song, (this is good). Oh, I'm just grooving, the music is so good on it's own, the instrument tones are awesome. "Can you pour yourself in, seep under my skin". I'm not familiar with these guitar players, but they sure are beyond good. This song has a special intimacy about it.

"Secret Heart," the title track has a bit more of a rock sound to it. This song was written for an independent film and has more background vocals. The guitars take on another sound on this track, lots of sustain on the fills. Nice organ parts on the song.  Adams tours in the US and Europe promoting her music. This is a disc to check out.