With electronic music flourishes and production techniques making their way into a good majority of recordings that I listen to these days, sometimes I enjoy nothing more than listening to something simple and throwback, with none of the usual accouterments that I've grown used to. With their lovely little Six Songs EP, The Finches have given me just what I need.

A west-coast duo of Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs and Aaron Morgan, The Finches tread a a fine line between pop and folk on the short release, with melodic nods to both Leonard Cohen and Francoise Hardy. "The Road" opens the disc and acoustic guitar and bass provide simple but effective backing for the disarming vocals of Pennypacker Riggs, who manages to keep things light and playful without moving into overly sweet territory.

With only two instruments (bass and guitar) and vocals (Morgan appears occasionally on backup duty, providing some nice harmonies), the group manages to weave a lovely spell with evocative lyrics and consistently engaging instrumentation. "Daniel's Song" is a particular highlight, with dual guitars weaving a warm backdrop while Pennypacker Riggs takes lead and Morgan adds some quiet baritone croon to punctuate particular moments. "The Last Song of 2003" is another standout, changing pace ever so slightly with more plaintive guitar playing and more spirited vocal passages. Without a little more variety, a full length album of similar-sounding tracks might leave me wanting a bit more, but at just under thirty minutes, Six Songs is a highly consistent little listen that's well worth your time.