Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton: What Is Free To A Good Home

Emily Haines' Free To A Good Home has all the markings of a placeholder release: five unreleased songs recorded while making her 2006 solo record, Knives Don't Have Your Back, and a remix of "Mostly Waving" from that album. It has the usual Haines hallmarks as well: breathy vocals that practically drip with longing, subdued piano, and an airy atmosphere. Each song has nice accompaniment, from horns on "The Bank" to strings on "Bottom Of The World" to random electronic bleeps on "Mostly Waving." None of it is terribly memorable—songs are rejected from albums for a reason—though "Telethon" would have been the strongest contender for inclusion on Knives.