Kurt Weisman – Orange

Just one of the best solo folk albums I've heard in a long, long time. Kurt's singing style is uniquely falsetto, though it ends up sounding entirely appropriate. Much of this album is drenched in a wispy gentleness akin to maybe Vashti Bunayn or certain Donovan songs, coming across as very light and airy. Kurt's guitar playing style is mostly way off the radar, exhibiting a kind of asynchronous, cacophonous nature much of the time. Of course, he also seems to have a pretty good grasp of more conventional approaches.

The songwriting on Orange is often sweet and always personal. Songs like 'Let My Spirit Rise', 'New Blueberry Song' and 'Rainbow Blues' almost grant a feeling of weightlessness. They're just unadulterated, sweet and happy songs. The instrumental numbers are just as powerful, and some of these ('Orange' in particular) stray into some very bizarre and abstract territories.