Jessie Kilguss

Jessie Kilguss's smoky voice on the theatrically styled opening track of her latest album immediately betrays her background in the performing arts. Trained as an actress, Brooklyn's Kilguss worked on stage with Marianne Faithfull and came away transformed and inspired. Her debut disc, 2007's Exotic Bird, was the result, and on her second disc, Nocturnal Drifter, she sinks deeper into the steaming bath of her newly embraced art form. From cabaret-style ballads to lushly produced pop soundscapes, quirky experimental and orchestral touches throughout the disc highlight Kilguss's voice and her striking melodies. The diffident buzz of these electronic flourishes makes tracks like "A Little Place Behind My Eyes" and "Strangers On A Train" as compelling as a habit-forming substance. "Americana" also stands out as a highlight, boasting a sweeping, ambitious arrangement complete with remote, echoing vocals, a pounding piano line and a truly epic vibe.