By Kate Spencer
New York native Hellen Ballentine couldn’t have picked a more inappropriate stage name for the style of music she makes, and I love it. Quiet the Room, the debut album from Skullcrusher following two Eps and a few singles, builds on Ballentine’s indie-folk sound, playing with new production techniques and more experimental ideas. While her previous work established her as a solid songwriter who could hold her own, this album elevates her to the next level, showing off her unique ideas as she carves out her own space in the world of indie-folk while still maintaining a comfortable amount of influence. Tracks including “Whatever Fits Together,”and “Lullaby in February” showcase her ability to keep this balance; however, the album itself overstays it’s welcome with the inclusion of over-indulgent tracks such as “Sticker” and the instrumental tracks that, at times, effect the pacing for the worse. Quiet the Room is a promising debut from a loosely established artist on the cusp of striking gold.
Rated six out of ten