Ears Wide Open: Ranger

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Ranger

Nicole Vaughn has released two solo albums, but unlike 2011’s “Say It” and predecessor “Walk Into the Night,” Vaughn is getting ready to unleash her latest record under the moniker Ranger. Working with producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist Jon O’Brien (Young the Giant, LA Font, Yellow Red Sparks) again, her two-part album “Songs For Leaving | Songs For Other Things” is a sweet swirl of Americana melodies and folk-rock attitude. The O.C. songwriter’s longtime fans need not fret that the name change will somehow diminish her knack for storytelling. The intricate lyrics are still there; her characteristic gusto is framed by a fuller and bolder sound on songs like the catchy “Promises.” The first part of her album, “Songs For Leaving,” is slated for an Oct. 15 release.

||| Download: “Promises” and “Lay This All to Rest” via bandcamp.