Vocalist and primary songwriter Adrienne Cole is front and center,shining with her confident vocals. Had this been released in 1985, Dear August would have justifiably been lumped in with the Athens sound. Combing REM jangle with 10,000 Maniacs vocals, this Madison, Wisconsin band -- formerly known as Box Elder -- is equally comfortable playing slow country and raucous roots. It is debatable if this qualifies as a "debut album" since the band released a CD under the previous name. However the name change and a change in philosophy has benefited the group as Come In Keep Dry has one charming song after another. -- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music (self-released)
