Running Still, Real World ***

The world may be networked beyond belief, but it's still possible for some people to plant their flag in unlikely territories and prosper. English tunesmith Charlie Winston has taken France by storm in recent years, which is no doubt a great consolation after the stony reception he received back home. His last album (2009's Hobo) did the trick, and Running Still, a crafted, confident blend of British power pop laced with folk and soul flourishes, has been building on his French breakthrough since its release there a year ago. Winston, a brother of singers Tom Baxter and Vashti Anna could repeat his success in Blighty if measured songs such as She Went Quietly and Lift Me Gently, combined with the quirky Hello Alone and the blazing Rockin' in the Suburbs, could find their way into English hearts. The English have loved a lot worse in the past. charliewinston.com

Download: She Went Quietly, Lift Me Gently