Although, Nina Nastasia spent just four days with producer Steve Albini (The Pixies, PJ Harvey, Urge Overkill) recording what would become her sixth studio album, the results don’t sound rushed at all.

Outlaster is one woman’s take on aging, and a reflection of what she has and hasn’t done. Melancholy abounds and lyrics from the album’s first track – “Cry, Cry, Baby” are a good indication of the sorrow ahead. “You’re my only true love/and I know I can change,” she swoons over plucked acoustic and a sparse drum part. Still, Nastasia doesn’t let her shortcomings lose sight of light in the darkness “I won’t worry anymore,” she confidently sings, “you and I are ideal.”

While Nastasia’s vocal capabilities are always impressive (the girl could sing her way out of a straightjacket), not one of the album’s ten tracks stray too far from the string arrangements that have been part of Nastasia’s brand since 2000’s Dogs. Even Paul Bryan’s lush orchestral arrangements on songs like “This Familiar Way” and “Moves Away” can’t save her third release for London’s Fat Cat Records (Sigur Ros, Animal Collective) from being worth anything more than a handful of attentive listens.

Credit Albini and father-son duo John and JJ Golden for producing and mastering nearly 40-minutes of emotional folk backed by the dynamic swell and decline of an eight-piece string section. The mics are perfectly placed and Albini’s famous “three take” rule obviously worked on this collection of songs. The cuts feel earnest and don’t feel over worked or thought over.

Unfortunately, Nastasia could’ve spent more time constructing more memorable lyrics and vocal lines before entering the studio. While production quality shines, the subject matter on Outlaster is played out and her vocal abilities are never really tested or flaunted on this sometimes-too-subtle record. There are very noteworthy songs on the album (You’re A Holy Man”, “You Can Take Your Time”), but Nastasia must be growing tired of singing the same thing on five consecutive albums. Sure, she’s evolved as a songwriter over the past eight years, but maybe it’s time for her to blast onto the tape instead of slowly carving out her sonic space.

Outlaster is good, but lets hope her seventh record is better because Nastasia may have outlasted her welcome with this one.