1 boy plus 1 girl equals one 7 song EP of soft love songs. These two dreamy lovers, Richard Cranch and Dana Kruse, make an attempt to capture the feelings of a new relationship through song. From the album's opening ("I'll Take A Chance (With You)") to the closer ("Summer's End"), it takes your ears on the ups and downs of an emotional rollercoaster.

For a 2 piece, they bring a much more full sound than one would expect. Though it is dreamy, shoegaze pop for the Elliott Smith in all of us, Summer's End employs a lot more than an acoustic guitar and a piano. A touch of psychedelia gives us "Lucky," a song that could easily find its way into rotation on your 50 year old landlord's favorite easy-listening radio station, but even with that the song is no less enjoyable. It's fun, even if it is a step away from your typical shoegaze.

Three songs into Summer's End, the listener is treated to a hint of Dana Kruse's voice through her fantastic backing vocals and melodies; undoubtedly many will wish Mr. Cranch would take a backseat and let the lady take over to give a female point of view. When Kruse does finally takes the lead, on the sixth track, "Everyone Around," it quickly becomes apparent why she's in the background. Her voice is better with harmony than with the lead, one of those stars that twinkles perfectly on a distant backdrop but fails to impress under a magnifying lens.

I can say with confidence that Carte Blanche is like a shallow man's Rilo Kiley. The songs are nice, but lack any real depth. It is an enjoyable, long-playing EP, and the title track is a pretty way to end a pretty good EP.