Ruby Rendrag has played guitar with Rikki Comeaux, and she was the classic rock half of Dingo 8 (paired with Mary Lasseigne’s alt-rock half), and she was part of the folk-rock duo, Watyr. She’s played in town for the better part of a decade, but Wartime Favorites is her first album under her own name. Perhaps it’s not surprising that someone who has fit into a number of very different musical situations is a bit of a chameleon. “Not Today” has some of Chrissie Hynde’s tough/tender love, while “Nothing” could be one of Heart’s softer moments. Fortunately, the songs catch. They might wander a little, but they consistently find their way back to the hooks, often with dynamic punctuation to let you know you’ve arrived. Similarly, Rendrag substitutes Suki Kuehn’s melodic cello for the bass, which gives the songs dimension.

The last 10 minutes of the album take an unexpected turn, and not necessarily one for the better. “I’m Gonna Go Crazy” is a bouncy rock/jazz ballad that’s not really in keeping with the rest of the album, and it’s followed by “Sonata #1” by Dr. John Kuehn—a relative of Suki, I assume—and her solo performance on cello of “Clair De Lune.” The classical pieces are fine, but they’re such a departure that their presence simply seems odd—particularly since Rendrag’s not on either of them. Democracy’s a beautiful thing, but here it really mutes the impact of an otherwise nicely crafted pop album.