Troubled By the Fire

Seattle, WA-based guitarist/singer/songwriter Laura Veirs garners sympathetic support from guitar hero Bill Frisell, saxophonist Amy Denio, bassist Fred Chalenor, and others — but the star of the show is clearly Veirs. With this 2003 effort, the artist meshes a nouveau folk/country-rock approach along with intermittent doses of spacy background treatments. Her soft voice provides an underscore for wittily constructed lyricism and slight shifts in direction. It's hard to categorize Ms. Veirs. Throughout this compelling production, she fuses the sounds of innocence with the slant of an enigmatic rock star. There are some calming moments amid asymmetrical parts: country & western, alt-rock, and Ms. Veirs' whispery vocals. Moreover, avant-garde violinist Eyvind Kang generally adheres to the straight and narrow by providing the vocalist with an organic edge. Keyboardist Steve Moore's airy and intentionally cheesy organ passages bridge the sounds of a bygone rock era with the leader's contemporary vibe. She's a cunning storyteller for sure, while kudos are in order for producer Tucker Martine's perceptive representation of Ms. Veirs' multifarious talents.