Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter

Jesse Sykes is an extraordinary singer and amazing songwriter whose dark songs of dislocation and reconciliation fall somewhere between the warm country-noir of Giant Sand, Poor Down Like Silver-era Richard/Linda Thompson, and the glacial indie-rock of Low. Reckless Burning is the first recorded result of her collaboration with Whiskeytown founding guitarist/songwriter Phil Wandscher, whose playing and songwriting underline how essential he was to that great original Whiskeytown lineup. The rest of The Sweet Hereafter — seasoned Joel Phelps/Neko Case sideman Bill Herzog on stand-up bass, Walkabouts violinist Anne-Marie Ruljancich, and stylish brush-and-mallet drummer Kevin Warner — is sublime.