Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause: I’ve Been Around” b/w “I Went to the River” ”

Double Phantom

A few years have passed since The Rustic Contemporary Sounds of ... gave Anna Kramer’s countrified rock ‘n’ roll songwriting a jolt of electricity, while introducing her new band, the Lost Cause. The two songs on this new 7-inch return to her slower, earthy roots and maintain full-bodied arrangements that unfold with rural grace. “I’ve Been Around” is an introspective number that mirrors Kramer’s delicate voice with a procession of bass, guitar, drums, piano and a faint chorus of angelic coos creeping out of the background. “I Went to the River” picks up the pace with a rollicking twang and piano breakdown that’s clean, elegant and assured, while tempering a loose tale of heartbreak with warm redemption. (4 out of 5 stars)