Little Miracle

Cincinnati native Kim Taylor began 2009’s I Feel Like a Fading Light contemplative and a bit downtrodden, reaching a nadir of self-loathing on “People.” She rebounded with the silver lining of “You Can Rely On Me,” taking us through a level of sonic variety that’s welcome in today’s crowded singer-songwriter climate. Her mood swings are still apparent on Little Miracle, as she takes the opposite approach, starting out hopeful and diving back into the gray when needed. The opening title track gallops along; and redemption (“If I Am Wrong”) and tribute (“Sharp Cutting Wings”) are a couple themes she touches on throughout. Overall, though, it’s a familiar flight plan. Taylor’s rhetorical gifts haven’t changed much since her 2008 EP The Greatest Story. If anything, she’s needlessly sanded off any rough edges that made her engaging two years ago (see “Let Me Down”).