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The Flashcards: Caroline in the Garden – Act Two (2026)

70+/100
Genre: alternative/art pop, singer-songwriter

Caroline in the Garden, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, places a heavy emphasis on classical piano, with the exceptions of "Little Joe" and "I Write Songs about Hope," which showcase acoustic arrangements. Beautiful melodies begin to emerge particularly on "Tick," followed by "Seconds" and "Mine," while the final two tracks take on a brighter, almost children's song-like character—most apparent on "The Dentist's Chair." I initially caught hints of a big band or jazzy style on those two tracks, and as it happens, John Snyder—who is well-entrenched in the jazz/blues world—served as the guide of the recording engineer, so that distinct flavor makes complete sense.

Well, the first real impression came from "Mine," but being able to break down the record like this means there are quite a few elements here that can be appreciated, even if I still hesitate to add it to my personal favorite playlists.

Tracklist:

 1. Late Bloomer

 2. On Things

 3. Little Joe

 4. Push Through

 5. Tick

 6. Seconds

 7. Mine

 8. I Write Songs about Hope

 9. She

 10. The Dentist's Chair

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