Cindy Woolf - Simple and Few (2005)

She ventured beyond the traditional sounds that earned her reputation to put forth her more gentle and atmospheric songs that would sit comfortably next to your Iron and Wine LPs or even your old Sundays CDs. The inspiration for songs like the sisterly "Dearest Pearl" hearkens back not only to her native Arkansas but also a couple of generations, with pieces of lyrics directly transcribed from her grandmother's diary. Simple and Few does boast some bluegrass-flavored standouts, including Cindy's own "Nobody's Wife." But whether the songs are informed by the traditional, ethereal or surreal makes no difference. A sense of authenticity surrounds this young new artist, and it rings through, clear as a bell, on Simple and Few.