This sounds very different from most of what I've recommended. In fact, there are days when I wouldn't want to listen to this song at all. It is pretty incredible, however. I like it both for its remarkable mood and instrumentation (this is a Phil Spector production), and for its lyrical content (a melancholic but resigned tale, remembering a love affair). Leonard sings 'A heavy burden lifted from my soul/I learned that love was out of my control', with a reverb effect on his voice, accompanied by a sweet string arrangement and a faint, echoey backing choir. His delivery is casual, yet committed - a style that definitely influenced Nick Cave.

'Light Enough to Travel' is from 'Blue Horse', the debut album from the Be Good Tanyas.

The Tanyas are are Frazey Ford, Samantha Parton, and Trish Klein, and hail from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

They sing up tempo folk / bluegrass, and have been received with wild acclaim in both Canada and the UK.

'Light Enough to Travel' is representative of the Blue Horses. I guarantee it will get your toes tapping and hips swaying.

Here is their website: http://www.begoodtanyas.com/

This song is haunting. The lyrics are about loss and are bouyed by a simple arrangement of guitar and organ.

I like this album more with each listen.

'You Were Here' is the first solo album from Ms. Harmer who is also one of the principle members of a Canadian folk/pop group called 'Weeping Tile'.

'Ballsy' is the only word to describe this song. Yes, 'ballsy' like all of Liz Phair's songs...'Weakened State' is hard and aggressive which makes it stand-out from the other tracks on this outstanding album.

'Fault Lines' is a beautiful, slow melodic number from Radiogram's debut album 'Unbetween'.

After listening to 'Fault Lines' and 'Unbetween' it came as no great surprise to discover that this band has enjoyed great success in roots music circles in Canada and the UK.

Strangely, the 'ethereal' sound achieved by the producer [Chon] reminds me of Jane Siberry's 'When I Was a Boy'.