A close listening to Lanae’ Hale’s 2009 debut album Back & Forth reveals her to be more than just another sweet-voiced young talent. Her songs allude to real-life struggles with self-esteem, as well as to her bedrock Christian faith, and her breathy singing style underscores both the wistfulness and the resolve found in her lyrics. Back & Forth combines whimsical Beatles-like elements (the title number) with folky acoustic touches (“It’s Over,” “Quiet Place”) and soaring alt-country sounds (“Headed Home”). Hale mostly keeps the accent on the positive, snatching hope from despair in “If I’m Broken,” singing the praises of true love in “Let’s Grow Old Together,” and raising a glass to womankind in “Here’s to the Girls.” Tracks like “Here’s My Heart” and “Burning Heartbeats” distill their specific messages into bursts of transcendent enthusiasm. Hall might be accused of pure giddiness if reminders of her past sorrows didn’t add some ballast to her bounce. Back & Forth offers an appealing mix of experience and idealism, served up with a bright pop edge.