Sonia, Almost Chocolate. Disappear Fear's leader, Sonia Rutstein, goes solo with ten original songs that explore the many aspects of love, from romantic relationships to understanding between nations. The opening tune, "Two Eggs Over Easy," features driving electric guitar, but the focus throughout the album is on Sonia's heartfelt, expressive vocals and spare acoustic guitar and keyboards. Folksy, pure melodies set off the stark honesty of her lyrics. From upbeat pop tunes like "Falling" to melancholy ballads like "You," Sonia deftly merges autobiographical vignettes with social commentary. (Philo/Rounder)
--Lissy Abraham
Stefan Grossman and Duck Baker, Northern Skies, Southern Blues. Stefan Grossman, whose Kicking Mule label introduced legions of listeners to the seminal sounds of country blues in the '70s, teams up with Duck Baker for an album of back-to-their-roots picking. The duo shines on southern classics such as "Old Country Rock," "Just a Closer Walk," and "M&O Blues," where their meaty bass lines and bluesy licks sprout and intertwine like pea vines in the moonlight. The ghosts of Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Blake, and Lonnie Johnson hover in the wings, smiling. (Shanachie, 13 Laight St., New York, NY 10013)
--Jim Ohlschmidt
Sharon Isbin, Journey to the Amazon. A scan of Isbin's discography evinces her willingness to take her classical mastery into challenging new situations. She's done it again in this new collaboration with saxophonist Paul Winter and Brazilian percussionist and composer Thiago de Mello. On all but a few tracks, the ensemble succeeds in bringing a fresh sound and energy to the works of Almeida, Barrios, Brouwer, Lauro, and other great South American composers. It truly evokes the mystery and spirit of the Amazon. (Teldec)
--Riley Tharp
Matt Flinner, The View from Here. Mandolinist Flinner, who represents the next generation of new acoustic music, offers ten ambitious instrumentals, ranging from lilting Celtic reels to delicate lullabies to modal jazz explorations. Veteran guests Stuart Duncan, Tim O'Brien, Darol Anger, Jerry Douglas, Todd Phillips, and Mike Marshall are clearly in sync with Flinner's vision, which emphasizes the stark melodies and open spaces you'd expect from a Miles Davis fan. David Grier's unobtrusively stunning guitar proves a perfect match for the unexpected turns of Flinner's songs. (Compass, 117 30th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212)
--Marc Greilsamer
Kate Rusby, Hourglass. With her first solo album, this 23-year-old English singer has created a classic that will delight fans of great singing, inventive guitar playing, traditional British Isles folk, and, well, music. The spare production by Battlefield Band fiddler John McCusker focuses on Rusby's gorgeous honeyed voice in these traditional and traditional-sounding melodies. Guitarist Ian Carr plays on four songs, and his minimalist accompaniments are always inventive and effective. Rusby's own guitar powers some of the best tracks, including the self-penned "A Rose in April." (Pure, PO Box 174, Penistone, W. Yorkshire S75 4HR, U.K.)
--Scott Nygaard
Joel Mabus, Rhyme Schemes. Mabus is a multi-talented guitarist with a wry wit and a number of slick come-ons--a one-man medicine show with no snake oil in his pitch. As the album unfolds, the listener is treated to amusing songs, nifty clawhammer banjo, fiddle, recitations, and then, as the pace builds, to virtuosic guitar playing. By the time you encounter his hot guitar licks on "What My Doin' Wrong" and "Mosquito Coast," you'll know this guy's for real--a tonic for tired ears. (Fossil, PO Box 306, Portage, MI 49081)
--Roger Deitz
Liz Queler, Silent Witness. This is powerful, memorable stuff from an up-and-coming singer-songwriter. Simple, thoughtful guitar and jazz-influenced, soulful vocals make this CD from the daughter of famed opera conductor Eve Queler a must-have. Backed by simple percussion and a bevy of musicians and singers (including Curtis Stigers and Cliff Eberhardt), Queler takes you by the lapels and forces you to listen. In fact, in the title cut she takes us somewhere we really don't want to go--into the mind of the Oklahoma City bomber--but we end up thanking her for the trip. Her voice alone is worth the price. (Palmetto, 71 Washington Pl., #1A, New York, NY 10011)
--Steve Givens
John McCutcheon and Tom Chapin, Doing Our Job. McCutcheon and Chapin are two of the more affable and professional performers on the folk circuit, qualities this live album joyfully displays. Doing Our Job grew out of a chance double bill, and the two artists make a formidable pairing, with Chapin on six- and 12-string guitars, banjo, and electric guitar, and McCutcheon on hammer dulcimer, guitar, banjo, keyboards, clarinet, and saxophone. Michael Mark sits in on bass and concertina, and everyone contributes vocally. The result is an acoustically supercharged group effort, with good harmony and an optimism vaguely reminiscent of the '60s. (Rounder)
--Roger Deitz
Acousticity, Music for 20 Fingers. Acousticity's potpourri of folk, bluegrass, new age, and jazz on dueling Ovations is masterful. Tom Young, a fingerstyle specialist, and Erik Ringstad, an aggressive flatpicker who doubles on five-string banjo, cover such classics as Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo ˆ la Turk," Glenn Miller's "In the Mood," and my personal favorite, the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride." Their original compositions are innovative and tightly arranged, and they sound like they're being performed by one virtuoso with a double-neck guitar and four hands. (RKD, PO Box 43, Waban, MA 02168)
--Charles H. Chapman
The Ids, Psycho Babylon. These quirky folksy-rock ditties sound like they were secretly recorded in the Ids' basement. The lyrics are stream-of-consciousness and the band members are not the most graceful of musicians, but this is exactly what gives the Ids their charm. The whimsical "Locked in a Room" (with death) features some odd oboe and trumpet accompaniment, while "Spiritual Debris" is a super low-fi cut featuring guitar and vocals in one channel and a pen striking objects in another. While the quality of these songs varies radically, there's an honesty to the Ids that is missing from electrified alterna-groups who spend ridiculous amounts of money to sound equally awkward. (Nettwerk)
--Bryan Reesman
Northern Pacific, Lone Pine. The rich three-part harmonies and crisp ensemble picking of traditional bluegrass are in able hands with this Washington state quartet. Northern Pacific's originals blend seamlessly with the songs of Flatt and Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers--just substitute the Deschutes River for the Ohio. Joe Wilmhoff's soulful tenor highlights "Cora Is Gone" and his own "Green Eyed Girl," while Nick Hornbuckle's blistering banjo battles John Tubbs' mandolin and guest Tab Tabscott's Dobro on "Scat Cat." Northern Pacific has an urgency that keeps traditional bluegrass fresh without ever losing sight of the group sound. (Laural Inn, PO Box 601, Woodinville, WA 98072-0601)
--Marc Greilsamer
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