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The five song EP from the husband-wife duo Rue Royale is an incredibly nuanced effort. Brookln & Ruth Dekker share the mic on both vocals and guitars, blending beautiful harmonies with their coffee house guitar tone. The subtle production is comprised mostly of sparse piano and a muted, driving kick drum. This minimalist sound of The Search for Where to Go never feels lacking, as the group makes the most of modest instrumentation. Lyrically, Rue Royale deals strictly with the topic of spirituality, yet in a mostly esoteric way - what otherwise may have appeared contrived. Opening with "Parachutes & Lifeboats," the Dekkers contemplate the social reaction to organized religions. The somber yet uplifting "Even in the Darkness" is the centerpiece of the CD, revealing a deep spiritual inspiration. Ruth croons an uncharacteristic spiritual adulation, "I love your name, it is like honey on my mouth." Yet, the strongest pieces of the CD come from the warm harmonies of the couple. Brookln's softly reserved voice is comparable to José González - if not in timbre, in melancholy. Comforted by Ruth's whisper, the intimacy of their harmonies often muddles the fact that they honed their vocal talents an ocean's length apart until a few years ago. Brookln's St. Louis coffee house roots combined with Ruth's formative years in England "soundtracked" by British folk-rock pair as if they had been listening to same collection of CDs since they picked up instruments. While it is virtually guaranteed that artists dealing with spirituality will be consumed by the classification of a religious genre, Rue Royale's sincerity is difficult to overlook with such a simplistic category. The Search for Where to Go has many layers to it, ironically waiting under the minimalist sound of the arrangements.

Rue Royale at Amazon & Insound