Sean Madigan Hoen

The Atavan Tapes

CTW Records

A singing voice that is completely natural, and not changed with voice-altering machines, usually makes for a more sincere and true sound.

Detroit native Sean Madigan Hoen’s debut album “The Atavan Tapes” is refreshing in this way. Each song flows freely into the next, creating a relaxing, comfortable mix of folk and rock.

From “Nicotine and Flannel in the Autumn,” a somewhat edgier song, to the quieter, more mellow “Better Song,” the album is almost reminiscent of musician Elliott Smith.

While the songs tell their own stories, they sound very similar. The entire album is less than 45 minutes long, and goes by quickly when listening to the tracks in succession. This makes it hard to tell when one song ends and another begins.

Detroit musicians and former bandmates Brian Repa and Nathan Miller are also featured on the tracks “Nicotine and Flannel in the Autumn” and “Slow Days Coming Home.”

Some of the songs are more appealing than others, particularly “Leaving Song II,” which has a stronger voice and beat than other tracks.

In this song, he says, “Through the smoke I’ve learned a smile/ It gets me by and helps me try.”

With lyrics like these, it’s hard not to just sit back, relax and listen, which seems to be the first reaction to Hoen’s music in the first place.

LESLIE ESCOBAR