Need a Change? Try Samantha Shelton on for Size!

Actress turned singer Samantha Shelton (episodes of "House," "CSI: Miami" and "Gilmore Girls" to name a few) has found her true calling in musically interpreting the past in the present tense. Following in the footsteps, albeit not to closely, of such groups as "Squirrel Nut Zippers" and artists such as "Nellie McKay," Shelton's new 4-song EP, "Cranky Moon" lifts styles from old standards in the vein of a ragtime crooner.

"Maybe" lilts and rolls, gently provoking, sounding like it was lifted from the 1920's, if not for the references to boxed wine and phone texting. "No One Knows" ups the beat a little bit while Shelton's breathy vocal intones "Oh what you do to me, no one knows." "Cranky Moon" the title track, sounds as if it could have been a soundtrack from an old black and white and includes a chorus of female vocals that could have backed up early Sinatra. The track includes the F-word as one of the lyrics, thus projecting the whole thing into the present day. It's a delightful track, and a fitting title track to this small set. Finishing a bit like it began, "Sit and Sigh" boom-chick-chick-boom beat is a proper book-end to set opener "Maybe."

Musically, the instruments are simple and perfectly matched to Shelton's vocals. Perhaps the only complaint I have about this collection is that it is too short. I'll anxiously await a long-player from Shelton in this style. The EP is available digitally from AmieStreet along with a previous long-player in a quite a different style "Are You Kidding Around?". You can also hear complete tracks from both offerings on Shelton's MySpace Page.