The new album from Meredith Bragg is quite a departure from the rock of his previous band Speedwell. At the core of Vol. 1’s compositions are Bragg’s acoustic guitar and delicate vocals that occasionally receive understandable comparison to the late Elliott Smith. Much of the album sees Bragg accompanied by his band The Terminals, but even those moments remain rather subdued.

Although somewhat minimalist in nature, Bragg and The Terminals manage to fill out their sound with lush cello passages from Elizabeth Olson as well as the occasional multi-tracked vocal. Brian Minter’s work on the piano provides additional support on "Work and Winter" and "I Won’t Let You Down" while his work on the vibraphones pairs with Olson’s cello on "My Only Enemy" to reinforce the tracks moody ambiance. Throughout Vol. 1, Jonathan Roth shows off his ability to blend his drumming with Bragg’s rhythmic strumming.

With this release, the former members of Speedwell (Bragg, Minter, and Roth) along with Olson demonstrate that a quieter approach can still be incredibly expressive and result in a full, rich sound. After listening to Vol. 1, many will be eagerly looking forward to Meredith Bragg and The Terminals second volume of music.