Angus & Julia Stone (Deluxe Version)

Producer Rick Rubin fell in love with the orchestrated folk-rock music of Australian siblings Angus and Julia Stone, prompting no less than The New York Times to take notice in his faith. The duo’s second album—2010’s Down the Way—debuted at No. 1 in their homeland and won five ARIA music awards, including Album of the Year; this made the introspective, shy duo consider solo work to cope with expectations. Rick Rubin, however, insisted he could help them with their self-titled follow-up, and, as Rubin often does, he maintains their integrity while providing them with new sounds and explorative textures. (Despite their laid-back poetics, they did sing for “Hollywood” on their 2007 debut, A Book Like This.) Here, Julia nails the pathos of “Wherever You Are” and the dramatic arc of “Death Defying Acts” with a world-weary voice that’s pure beauty. Angus rocks harder than expected on “Little Whiskey,” while “Please You” pulls back for a subdued mood. The deluxe edition adds three more tracks—“Do Without,” “All This Love,” and “Roses”—that would’ve been highlights on the 13-track official album.