Gold in the Shadow (Deluxe Version)

Born to blind parents, William Fitzsimmons learned to play many instruments from both his mother and father, who instilled in him their extrasensory musicianship. He kept his quiver to a minimum here, letting guitars and economical lyrics keep these songs simple but strong. A companion piece to 2011’s Gold in the Shadow, this collection of bonus material starts with an even more stripped-down version of “Bird of Winter Prey.” Without lush string arrangements behind him, Fitzsimmons stands stark and vulnerable, with only his whispered inflections hovering over some of the most delicate acoustic-guitar fingerpicking since Vashti Bunyan’s Just Another Diamond Day. He plays subtle electric guitar parts in the following “Ever Could,” a lilting serenade so beautiful it’s a wonder why it wasn’t featured on the initial release. Similarly, “From the Water” and “Blood and Bones” are equally arresting—the former has sublime French horns, and the latter is a spellbound love song that would sound overly precious coming from anyone else.