Jesse Payne

With his fourth release, Birmingham, AB's Jesse Payne is ascending that much closer to the top of the ranks of contemporary bearded folksters. With subtle shifts of rhythm and instrumentation coexisting alongside tufts of modern sounding whirrs, Nesting is the breathtaking result of organic and manufactured nuances melding into a consistent whole. It reveals the work of a dedicated musician who has poured his soul into every detail. Opening track "Manhattan Project" exemplifies the emotional pull of the record. Framed by gentle finger picked notes, softly palpitating drum beats and quiet cymbal taps, haunting "oohs" come in then recede like murky waves breaking over Payne's affecting vocals. The fireside intimacy of "Wes Anderson," the Joseph Arthur-styling of "Ramble We Hang" and Payne's nod to Laurel Canyon on the sprightly "Conversations" are all highlights, while songs like "Scripted Carolina" and "Yards of Paint" will have you humming their choruses for days. Nesting isn't an album you casually visit; it is home to an artist that compels you to stay awhile.