Living Under June

Living Under June

Candour is Jann Arden’s stock in trade, whether she’s crooning heartbreak ballads or cracking jokes onstage. Even so, the emotional frankness on her third album is a revelation. Living Under June is a sweet-sounding but gently devastating exploration of vulnerability and grace. Arden sounds gutted as she puzzles over a callous lover’s behaviour on “Insensitive,” while her tribute to her parents, “Good Mother,” is heartrending in its sincerity. Combined with her direct vocals, that guilelessness makes for a powerful listen.