Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter

Jesse Sykes' stark songs roil with themes of loss, resignation, and love laid bare, placing them sonically and lyrically somewhere between Pour Down Like Silver-era Richard & Linda Thompson or vintage Neil Young, the warm country-gothic-noir of Nick Cave, and the elegant indie-rock of Cat Power. Oh, My Girl is the second full-length resulting from Sykes' partnership with guitarist/songwriter Phil Wandscher, whose previous musical project was Whiskeytown, the revered North Carolina post-punk altcountry band that he co-founded with Ryan Adams. The rest of The Sweet Hereafter — a band that includes seasoned ex-members of Neko Case's band, Joel Phelps' Downer Trio, and The Walkabouts — is sublime.