Underneath the Surface is a fitting title for Jenni Alpert’s fifth CD, because like Alpert and her songs, even when you think you have one of them pegged, this album shows that are undercurrents throughout. Elements of indie acoustic, quirk pop and even some rock ‘n roll appear on this rich, pleasing album, and because of the expert ways in which these elements are combined, 2011 just might be the year that people finally start to take notice of Alpert’s talent.

Songs like “Heaven” have a dreamy feel to them, with echoing guitars and shuffling beats as Alpert sings, “Heaven is a place I’m running from/ Don’t know what’s real/ Don’t think I’ll heal/ Don’t want to do what I should/ Don’t want to be good for you.” “Sweet Talk” is a romantic, mid-tempo number that ironically is led by a sort of military-style drum shuffle as Alpert tells her lover how his love grounds her and gets her through each day. “Stupid” is one of the album’s best, with piano keys pinging along to each sing-songy syllable of the refrain “You think you’re smart you’re so smart/ You think you’re smart you’re so smart/ You think you’re smart you’re so smart, stupid.”

A lot of the content on the album centers on love and relationships. “You Will Come Back” tells the tale of Alpert knowing that an ex-lover’s new relationship won’t last and that she is the right one for him, and “Love is Enough,” like the previous track, doesn’t pull any surprises concerning the song’s content. When she isn’t talking about love, though, Alpert zeroes in on personal struggles we all can relate to. “Heaven” talks about self-destructive efforts to avoid choosing the proverbial “right way” and sabotaging one’s chances for happiness at the same time. “Underneath” is the album’s lone acoustic ballad, about how important it is to delve beneath the surface of what people and life sometimes show you. And “Now You Know” has a sort of wizened aspect to it, as Alpert sings about someone crying because of “All you never thought you’d choose/ All you never thought you’d lose.” In moments like these, Alpert demonstrates that her abilities run much deeper than simply writing love songs; more than that she is able to write passionately and insightfully about some of the most difficult emotions we experience.

Alpert has rich vocals and knows how to vary her performances so she isn’t doing the same thing over and over again. Whether barely whispering on “Underneath,” sounding playful on “Stupid,” or simply being strong on the Americana-tinged closer “Face the Beast,” Alpert shows that she has considerable vocal prowess to match the musical variety on her record. This combination matches perfectly with her sometimes light, sometimes serious lyrical content. Underneath the Surface plays like the thrilling roller coaster ride life is, and it shines because of its beauty and honesty.