The Cactus Blossoms One Day [5/13] *

"Hey Baby" kicks off One Day, the third album by the Cactus Blossoms, with a light rockabilly swing, suggesting that the duo remain indebted to old-time rock & roll but also are ready to add a bigger beat and some color to their retro stylings. One Day does expand the palette of the Cactus Blossoms, but instead of bopping to a rockabilly rhythm throughout the record, the pair weave in elements of early-'70s soft rock, such as glistening electric pianos and shimmering, slippery guitars that conjure memories of George Harrison. It's a subtle, considered expansion of their sweetly insistent retro-pop, one that works as well on the steady-rolling, minor-key "Ballad of an Unknown" as it does on "Everybody," a cozy duet with Jenny Lewis. The Cactus Blossoms remain a proudly low-key affair -- the focus remains on the harmonies of brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey -- but the small, telling details help turn One Day into a warm, enveloping listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine