I forget how I heard about A Fine Frenzy, aka Alison Sudel. It was probably in my Myspace days, when I wandered onto her site. Anyway, I soon forgot about her, because I was young and foolish then. So when I saw on iTunes that she was releasing a new album, I simply had to check it out. And not just because she looks like a nicer version of Angelina Jolie on the cover.

The album, Bomb in a Birdcage,  is full of a wide range perfectly sunny songs, such as my personal favorite, the happy yet melancholy "Blow Away," and the closest thing to a ballad, "Happier." Her voice is simple, yes, but effective for the kind of music she makes. each one of her songs is a sweet story, and she takes you on a musical adventure in the span of three to five minutes.

But most of the songs recount the natural theme implied by the title, and the album is full of folksy songs that make the listener smile. The main point about Bomb in a Birdcage is that it isn't easily defined. Sudel said she “felt like being daring” with her sophomore CD, and it's definitely a turn from her tragically beautiful debut album.

So while her new album differs from her more melancholy first, One Cell in the Sea, it differs in a pretty way.