How I Knew Her

The female half of the eclectic pop duo Pomplamoose, Nataly Dawn is also building her solo resume with her second album, How I Knew Her; it's her debut on the well-respected artsy Nonesuch Records imprint. The album was produced by her Pomplamoose foil Jack Conte at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, Calif., where Tom Waits records his albums. A full band was assembled in a single room to capture a wild ensemble sound. Waits' engineer Oz Fritz engineered the sessions, ensuring the album is quirky but well-presented. With esteemed musicians like bassist David Pilch (Bonnie Raitt, Bill Frisell), guitarist Ryan Lerman (Ben Folds Five), and drummers Louis Cole and Matt Chamberlin (Brad Mehldau, Fiona Apple) backing her, Dawn freely sings these strikingly personal tunes that aren't afraid to get loud and messy ("How I Knew Her") or remain rustic ("I Just Wanted You to Get Old," "Caroline"). Elements of jazz, folk, ragtime, and progressive pop all whirl around Dawn's wispy, affected vocals. She's got style.