Janine Stoll

Toronto, ON's Janine Stoll opts to go sappy over sassy for her third solo effort. The vanguard sound of 2008's How To Have Sex With Canadians (with the DoneFors) gives way to the more emulative fare of Melancholia, evoking the likes of Sarah Harmer, Paula Cole and Jann Arden. Stoll's heart-on-her-sleeve approach to songwriting and her tender, pining voice lend themselves very well to sentimental folk (her music is much too quaint to be categorized as "romantic pop"). She sets up the perfect ambience in which to wallow, whether you're lost in love or out of, or just bored in between. Her titillating high notes and clever melody lines render opening track "Making Plans" absolutely captivating, while "Tumble Down" makes you ache for the fragile soul finding refuge in its verses. It's exactly the kind of single you expect to find playing on chick flicks. For real life episodes or imaginary plot lines, Melancholia is the perfect soundtrack to a broken heart.