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Johanna Warren’s “Automatic” moves along with an easy momentum. The guitars have a warm, slightly gritty edge, and Warren’s vocals ride comfortably over the rhythm section. There’s a nice push and pull between the instruments, giving the song a natural sense of movement from start to finish. Recorded live to tape, the track captures the loose chemistry of Warren and her band, making for an especially compelling return from the singer-songwriter. Her seventh album, Frog in the Belly of a Snake, arrives January 29th via Soul Selects, marking her first full-length since 2022’s Lessons for Mutants. — H. Parada