Mathieu Lavigne

Like the high note that shatters wineglasses, some folk songs are perfectly pitched to break your heart. Mathieu Lavigne hits that note with "Au Milieu d'un été," the third track on his debut album. With the tender purr of organ and Lavigne's forlorn vocals at the forefront, you don't need to understand French to fathom the depth of his deep blue melancholy. Lavigne excels at finding beauty in misery, and when he wallows a little ― with the sad-sack trombone in "Burning Heart" or the tragic lyrics of "Behind The Prayer," for instance ― the effect is devastating. And even when he's not jerking tears and shredding hearts, the Vancouver, BC singer-songwriter does a beautiful job with melody, adding texture to his arrangements with the contributions of Vancity musicians such as guitarist Clayton Murray, pianists Jacob Aginsky and Sam Parton (the Be Good Tanyas) and vocalist Marissa Johnson (No Kids, Weathered Pines).