July Flame  Bella Union****

Six albums in and Laura Veirs is acutely aware that if it ain't broke, you don't fix it. This isn't coded shorthand for musical stasis – if anything, this is her most interesting album since Carbon Glacier. Rather, there is an important arc of continuity, notably the presence of long-term producer Tucker Martin.

July Flamealso adheres to Veirs's folksy core of albums, but the sound is quite contradictory: percussion has been stripped back, and horns and strings swell the gaps. Central to the gorgeously crafted tunes is the understated sweep of Veirs' vocals and her skill as a songwriter. Prairie tales of life and land are beautifully delivered by her deft nylon-string guitar-plucking. There's a danger that albums released in January are forgotten by the year's end, but this one deserves to be cherished. www. lauraveirs. com

Download Tracks: Summer Is the Champion, July Flame, Silo Song