Ballads of Living and Dying

Raised in rural Massachusetts, Marissa Nadler evokes a deep, rich countryside with her straightforward acoustic folk music. Ballads of Living and Dying is her 2004 debut album and it’s a beaut. From the first strums of “Fifty Five Falls,” Nadler establishes herself as a modern-day Judy Collins. Whatever she lacks in Collins’ forthright clarity, she makes up for with a mystical aura and melodies that get under your skin. Tracks such as “Underwater,” the near wordless “Mayflower May,” the banjo-led “Days of Rum” create a world of intrigue, where it’s impossible to figure the time and place of these recordings. “Virginia” has a deep rowing motion that sounds nearly impossible for a young woman of just 23 years to attain. Ballads is an overlooked piece of sheer beauty. Unlike many of her contemporaries — such as Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhart — Nadler never strays into avant-garde or freak-folk territory, preferring to play it straight. Surely, fans of Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen and Mia Doi Todd will find much to appreciate here.