John Davis: Blue Mountains

John Davis is one half of The Folk Implosion, the side-project band that did most of the Kids soundtrack, and which also features Sebadoh frontman Lou Barlow. But Davis' Folk Implosion work doesn't really prepare you for solo albums like the new Blue Mountains: Its 15 oddly feminine folk/pop ballads and snippets precariously straddle the line between intimate soul-bearing and precious poetry-reading. Whether you find the album moving or treacly depends on your mood and perspective, but it's hard not to admire its gentle, unassuming disposition. Blue Mountains' lingering tape hiss also lends to the alone-in-the-studio feel, as does the fact that you can hear Davis' mouth move when he sings. The influence of everyone from Nick Drake to Jad Fair is pretty clearly pronounced from the beginning; those reference points should give you some idea whether you'd love it or hate it.