Butterfly Boucher - Flutterby (2003)

A low-key tour de force, Flutterby reflects an uncommon maturity and breadth of talent, particularly for a debut effort. Boucher commands all the essential instruments; more than that, she layers her parts with an ear toward sounding like a solid backup band, as opposed to showing off. Her lyrics, which adhere to the confessional/heartache model, can revolve around unanswered questions: "Could this be the day I've waited for?" she sings on "Life Is Short," with the more enigmatic "What do I do?" in "I Can't Make Me" and "Can you see the lights?" elevated to prominence as a song title. While she doesn't overdo it, this does contribute to an impression of less than piercing insight; songs like "Soul Back" come across as clever more than profound or even poetic. Still, her hooks are strong, her vocal delivery assertive, and aside from a few mellow Joni Mitchell moments in her articulation and phrasing on "Drift On," Flutterby bristles with an agreeable, upbeat energy.