Clay George

Vancouver's Clay George says he's not entirely comfortable with the "folk music" tag, yet accepts that it's inevitable when you play acoustic guitar and harmonica. No matter - his debut album is so good that genre nitpicking is totally unnecessary. George plays it fairly traditional, allowing his strong voice and way with a melody to win you over, although he's no slouch as a guitar player and his harmonica playing is far better than the standard unimaginative wheezing we've come to expect from solo folk singers. He has a knack for storytelling, and a recurring angel motif that could earn him a ticket into a new Wim Wenders movie. The only odd choice is an electric rock version of "Stephane Ganis," which sticks out of this otherwise straight-up acoustic affair; the acoustic version that closes the album is more affecting. The kicker is "Old Upright Piano," the kind of melancholic heart-tugger that would fit right into Closing Time. Best accompanied by fine red wine.