In the ten years since their last full album as Sixpence None the Richer, Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum's music career has taken quite a journey. One Christmas record and an EP, new music rumors, label woes, postponed release dates, and a title change later, their full-length reunion has arrived in the aptly titled Lost in Transition. At this point, a casual listener who mostly remembers them for "Kiss Me" might forget about this indie release, but lovers of alternative pop could find this one worth noticing.
Lost in Transition lives between the stripped down alternative of early Sixpence and the pop shimmer of their later work. Sometimes, they're introspective and downbeat, as in the raw emotion of "Radio" and "Be Ok." In other moments, they embrace catchy, singable hooks with a southern twang, with "Should Not Be This Hard" being a prime example. With the exception of maybe "My Dear Machine," which makes use of horns and a fuller sound, this record is stripped down, warm, and just poppy enough.
But underneath -- or perhaps above -- all that, is Leigh Nash's voice that has always in some ways defined the Sixpence sound. Sometimes, she evokes a little bit of the Eisley ladies in her ethereal, yet emotional delivery. Songs like "Give it Back" reveal conviction and heart, as she begs for a return of faith, then angelically lilts, "If you'll blow on the embers / The light will shine on my face / The streams will run in the desert / And sing amazing grace."
Whether Sixpence can reascend to the popularity of songs like "Kiss Me" and "There She Goes" remains to be seen, as it's easy for a relatively low-key release like this to get lost in the constant rush of new music. Longtime fans will no doubt find reason to rejoice that this album is finally here, but casual acquaintances should certainly consider giving this one a listen. There's a mature beauty that shows the payoff of years of hard work, proving Sixpence is back and worth the wait.
