This review has a little of everything -- a little blues, a little folk, even a little history. Anyone who likes singer-songwriters ought to find something here to please them.

I'll start with In The Pool. Jenn Adams has a rather low, sweet voice that reminds me of Susan Werner or Carrie Newcomer. The acoustic songs featured on this disc are folk augmented with blues and jazz hints that result in a modern, fresh sound. Overall this is a quiet CD with prominent acoustic guitar.

The most surprising song on this disc is Jenn's jazz-flecked version of "All Along the Watchtower," sung as a duet with Malcolm Holcombe, whose rough voice makes the song, as far as I'm concerned. The song starts gently, but builds passionately. Ultimately it is a satisfying cover, but It certainly is much different from the Jimi Hendrix version I am most familiar with. Another fascinating song is "Mozambique Is Burning," which has a slightly Middle Eastern sound, though not as exotic a sound as I'd like for a song with Mozambique in the title. I'm not sure if the lyrics are actually about Mozambique or are a metaphor for something else.

Other songs on the disc include "1846," about a young woman who apparently emigrates west across America's Great Plains, finding nothing but loneliness and cold. There is a nice cover of Julie Miller's "Speed of Light," while "Joliet" chimes in places, rather like a jangle pop song, although it is in no way jangle pop.

Andrew McKnight sums up the themes of his CD succinctly in his liner notes: "Some of these songs are an exploration of my fascination with history; some reflect the natural tendency of my generation to contemplate the onset of life's later stages; still others are just about having a little fun." I found three outstanding songs here; the rest are pleasant, but not necessarily memorable.

I like the historically-themed songs the best. "Diary," McKnight's duet with Mary Byrd Brown, is an outstanding song about Thomas Jefferson's affair with Sally Hemmings. It's a moving song that brings the characters, especially Jefferson, to life, and makes the valid point that slavery does not preclude love, and, though Hemmings had no power to consent to or refuse the relationship, she might have sincerely loved Jefferson. "The Road to Appomattox" jolted me with its vivid description of war. "Jesus and the Nighttime Train" is another interesting song, this time about the lack of faith that drives us to war. "Letter to Colonel Mosby" is another Civil War-themed song, though not as compelling as "Appomattox," in my opinion. "Bad News" is a bluesy lament, while "Western Skies" ponders loneliness to a countryish tune. "Nothin' But a Man" is a sprightly, gospel-sounding song whose lyrics, ironically, celebrate the fallibility of being merely human.

For more information about Andrew McKnight, go to the Falling Mountain Web site.

Austin musician Toni Price's Midnight Pumpkin is a soulful collection of blues, R&B and torch-influenced songs that sound like standards even when they're not, delivered with plenty of emotion. Her version of "Something in the Water" is so hot I may sleep with her myself!

She does a version of "Darlin'" that has a distinct gospel quality to it. Other tracks include two lively songs by Austin songwriter Shelley King, "Call of My Heart" and "Who Needs Tears"; "Measure For Measure"; "Thank You For the Love"; the swingish "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye"; and "Work It Out."

Musicians playing on this disc include Austin blues guitarist Jon Dee Graham, Champ Hood, Jud Newcomb, and Casper Rawls, among many others. For more information about Price, including her idiosyncratic performing style, go to this Austin music page.

Solorubato is an import from Britain's Fellside Records. It is a wonderful showcase of Tilston's guitar playing, singing, and songwriting skills. Many of the songs, though written by Tilston, sound close to traditional, and he includes his arrangements of the trad "Night Visiting Song" and "Roving on a Winter's Night."

The disc opens with "Living With the Blues," which sounds folk rather than traditionally bluesy, though the lyrics are certainly bleak: "Now you know yours is one more wasted song." The following track, "Life is Not Kind (To the Drinking Man") continues the wintry mood. Be careful not to confuse Tilston's instrumental, "Turning of the Tides" with a similarly-titled Richard Thompson song; they are two different pieces. "The Turncoat (So Far Away)" is a long story song about the US War of Independence -- from the British point of view, of course.

The music is stripped-down, with just Steve Tilston on guitars and harmonica and Richard Adams on percussion. (Tilston plays the arpeggione, or bowed guitar, on "Ashes in His hands," giving the music a slightly baroque sound.) The CD insert includes the guitar tunings for each song, which will undoubtedly be helpful for those wishing to play the songs for themselves.

I recommend all four of these CDs. Your choice will depend on what you're looking for. Tilston's and McKnight's CDs seem to me to be the most traditionally folk, especially Tilston's. Toni Price arguably has the most varied style from track to track. Jenn has interesting songs and a couple of nice covers. So take your pick and enjoy.

[Rebecca Swain]