Elyse - Elyse (Reissue) (1968/2000)

This long-overlooked record is primarily composed of quietly plucked acoustic guitars overlaid with Elyse Weinberg's hearty vocals, which bear some resemblance to other endearingly hoarse performers like Janis Joplin and Melissa Etheridge, and her Toronto contemporary Joni Mitchell. The air of psychedelia is fairly faint, springing up in the mystical traces of sitars that appear in songs like "Deed I Do," and in lyrics that refer to lovers with names like "Sir John Velveteen." In its day, sometime in 1968, the record drew praise from many circles and even earned Elyse a spot on The Johnny Carson Show. Quiet acoustics only occasionally take a backseat here, including "Spirit of the Letter," which is a full-on rock song, and somewhat surprisingly, largely better than many of the quieter songs. Perhaps the record's most noteworthy track is "Houses," a gorgeous song about the impossibility of trading places; beautiful on its own, its brilliance is amplified by featured guest Neil Young.