I can imagine some unsuspecting poor soul wandering into a Doug Paisley gig in a dimly lit backstreet bar in downtown Toronto and wondering if they'd travelled back in time to the 1970s, when country folk – introspective, melodic and melancholic – had a moment. Think low-key, loose-
fitting Kris Kristofferson. Paisley has been around a long time, but his three recent solo albums have triggered interest in a singer who, disarmingly, sounds as if contemporary is a foreign country. His memory-rich songs strain for emotional connection, his voice reaching to touch the moment, as on Growing Souls, against a simple backdrop of piped organ, guitar, and a loose-
limbed rhythm section. It's jarringly dated, yet tunes such as Radio Girl, What's Up Is Down and It's Not Too late (To Say Goodbye), a spectral duet with Mary Margaret O'Hara, hit the spot. dougpaisley.com JOE BREEN

Download: Growing Souls,
Radio Girl