Years since his last band performed, the new album by Eddie West, The Natural Philosophy EP, is a departure for those who have seen him tour the country playing folk music. His acoustic guitar and harmonica are absent, replaced by an electric guitar and a new role in producing. His former bandmate George Milly reappears as co-producer and lead guitar player. The two are returning to their unique musical partnership that has benefitted from plenty of life experience in the meantime.

The 6 original songs were essentially recorded over a weekend, live in a Brooklyn studio, with minimal overdubs added during mixing. It sounds like a full-length album, and listeners will crave more at the end. It has immediacy and captures the magic created by four musicians in a room blending their sound.

West's simple, introspective songwriting is maturing. On the ballad "Candy Mae" he sings about being left behind in a romance, both celebrating his dumb luck and agonizing about being cast