Zaac Pick's Whitewater will leave you wanting more

Zaac Pick operates within familiar territory, that of the folk-pop singer-songwriter. The four songs on his Whitewater EP are mellow and earnest, with Pick using his sweet tenor voice to inform us that time is a river and to meditate on holding on while the sky comes crashing down. In other words, the lyrics are nothing you’ve never heard before, but Pick delivers them with a level of skill and conviction that sets him above the acoustic-guitar-toting coffeehouse set.

These songs sound fantastic, too. That’s no surprise given the track records of Pick’s coproducers, Shawn Cole (Yukon Blonde, Bend Sinister) and Garth Richardson (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gallows). The title track is the most immediate, starting spare and rootsy before building toe-tapping momentum. The one that most rewards repeated listens, though, is “Modern Times”, which glistens with tasteful electric guitar and supporting strings, all wrapped around a yearning vocal melody. “Modern Times” closes the EP, and you know you’ve discovered something good when the last note fades and you want to hear more.