Nurtured by playing small clubs and cafes in the demanding L.A. music scene, Trespassers William have brewed a poetic blend of introspective pop on Anchor, their first independent release. Sounding like a modern mix of Patsy Cline, Mazzy Star, and the Cocteau Twins, the heartbreaking vocals of Anna-Lynne Williams waiver between throaty harmonies and piercing caterwauls. Her voice is further punctuated by emotionally charged lyrics that ring with an intimacy and candor seldom shared by similar artists. And despite the apparent sadness in these romantic episodes, her determination is clear when she sings, "You've been slicing like a knife / like Eve with her bite / but I don't think you've wounded me." Meanwhile, the plaintive chord structures, subtle guitar embellishments, and temperate rhythms of Matt Brown keep the sounds rooted in straightforward styles that provide the perfect backdrop for the album's ethereal moods. --Lucas Hilbert