I can't much to to other reviews 'cept to say this album came as super surprise to me, recommended by a friend.
I also think it's a step forward from her earlier work, excellent as that is (which I discovered after 'Mystery Prize').
I also like the way Loebe incorporates humor:  sometimes pointed and ironic, sometimes gentle and wistful.
She stands for me with Devon Sproule and Carsie Blanton as an impressive, individual, clever recent 'folk/pop' singer/songwriter:  interesting record and a talented lady.
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THE QUICK & DIRTY: Rebecca Loebe's second full-length project combines folk, pop and country to create a thoughtful, honest and oft-catchy collection of well-crafted songs.

THE LOW DOWN: 

From the outset this project bursts with creativity. The songs are well-written, well-constructed and exquisitely produced. The centerpieces for Loebe's music are unmistakably her voice cradled by acoustic guitar, and on "Mystery Prize" these elements are also adorned with pleasant production touches and backing instruments (everything from goat hooves to cajon to slide guitar to horns to a string quartet) that always add flavor and never detract from what really matters.

Throughout, however, what really matters is Loebe's voice - so alive and honest - animating songs in a way that only she can. Her vocal expression effortlessly weaves from breathy and vulnerable to sweet and flirty to terse and sassy to bold and soaring, with her beautiful instrument driving home a gamut of emotions and connecting instantly with the listener. 

Lyrically, Loebe avoids the folksy gimmick of merely stringing together interesting lines to form a larger opaque statement (a la Dylan). Her lyrics say what they need to, with clever metaphors, efficient storytelling and raw emotion covering everything from confusion, angst and regret to unabashed love.

If there is a flaw with this album, and one has to search for it, it's that some of the compositions are similar in key and structure ("Marguerita," "Meridian"). But the moments of genius that surround this minor miscue are so bright that they easily make up for it ("Mystery Prize," "Land & Sea," "Her in That Dress," "Married Man," "Trenches Dear," "Siren" and "Avalanche").

THE BOTTOM LINE:

After "Hey, It's a Lonely World," the sparse, emotional introduction to Rebecca Loebe; and the darker, more abstract "Brooklyn Series" EP; the traveling folkstress returns with her most accomplished effort to date, "Mystery Prize"  - an effort that surpasses what had come previously and that will delight on many levels from the initial listen through the myriad replays it deserves.
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Becca's newest CD showcases her ability to turn a phase with such sensitivity that you fall in love with her characters and smile at the surprising twists of expression.  The production team and assisting artists on this CD show the growth she has made in her expectations of turning out a great product that keeps bringing you back.  Her live performances can leave you breathless with her energy and commitment to her audiences.  I believe that this recording reflects a lot of that energy.
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