Inclusions

To get the most obvious comparison out of the way early: Kentucky singer-songwriter Ben Sollee sings startlingly like Paul Simon. Not the angelic choirboy trafficking in poetic alienation during the '60s, but the Simon that first appeared on tracks like "Cecilia" and "Late in the Evening" and has more recently become his primary vocal style: a bit wry and sardonic, with a rhythmic sensibility colored by jazz and vintage '50s R&B. Musically, Sollee's third album takes its cues from the artier end of the early '70s singer-songwriters; with his subtle and adaptable cello the lead instrument instead of the usual guitar or piano, the overall effect comes close to Van Dyke Parks, Starsailor-era Tim Buckley, or Joni Mitchell's avant-jazz experiments. Lyrically, however, Sollee's unapologetic earnestness in matters both personal and political places him firmly in the Jackson Browne camp of self-revealing troubadours. A product of Louisville's thriving indie scene (he's friends and collaborators with My Morning Jacket, and alt-country songstress Cheyenne Mize powers the album's most memorable song, "I Need"), Sollee maintains a connection to the present day with the album's low-key, somewhat rough-edged production, but his heart belongs in Laurel Canyon.