Call it my Garden
Red House Records***

“Retired” organic chemist Carrie Elkin aims to mix warming, interesting potions from life’s many and varied ingredients. Based in Austin, Texas, the capital of the alt.country genre, Elkin has been around for a while, although this is her first album for esteemed indie label Red House. There’s a helping of country, often laced with gospel, and a large dollop of folk in Elkin’s generous songs of open hearts and honest reflections, ruggedly rendered by a collection of talented friends.

These include noted singer-songwriter Sam Baker, in whose Austin home the recording took place. The mood is informal, rigid structure sacrificed in the search for the right tone. When it works ( The Edge of the World, Landeth by Sea, Jesse Likes Birds), Elkin's music is full of life and personality, if prone to gushing. And even when not so successful, when the songs are not so strong, her enthusiasm remains compelling.

See carrieelkin.com.

Download tracks: Jesse Likes Birds, Landeth By Sea