Leona Naess’ third album takes a turn away from the radio-ready veneer of 2001’s I Tried to Rock You But You Only Roll in favor of the more austere arrangements of producer/multi-instrumentalist Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Rufus Wainwright). Less immediately ear-grabbing than the previous disc, this self-titled record nonetheless sinks in deeply after a mere handful of plays. Naess’s songs are closely observed and occasionally diary-like: in "Star Signs," she recounts her reading a former lover’s horoscopes, while "Dues to Pay" draws parallels between career and romantic hard knocks. Whether aiming for Tom Petty-style folk-rock or surrounded by a small group of string players, Naess’s voice remains a truly affecting instrument, wistful and full-voiced at once. Hurt or not, you know, she’ll get by. --Rickey Wright

Thirteens, the fourth album from Leona Naess (first for Verve Forecast), is one of mixed emotions - a "mixed tape" of sorts. The songs of mourning, realization, muted joy, and true giddiness were taken from more than 13 albums worth of songs Naess composed during a time after her father's unexpected death in 2004. The variety of moods and lo-fi production perfectly compliment Naess' soft, misty voice on tracks such as "Leave Your Boyfriends Behind" and "Learning As We Go."

Thirteens, the fourth album from Leona Naess (first for Verve Forecast), is one of mixed emotions - a "mixed tape" of sorts. The songs of mourning, realization, muted joy, and true giddiness were taken from more than 13 albums worth of songs Naess composed during a time after her father's unexpected death in 2004. The variety of moods and lo-fi production perfectly compliment Naess' soft, misty voice on tracks such as "Leave Your Boyfriends Behind" and "Learning As We Go."

Thirteens, the fourth album from Leona Naess (first for Verve Forecast), is one of mixed emotions - a "mixed tape" of sorts. The songs of mourning, realization, muted joy, and true giddiness were taken from more than 13 albums worth of songs Naess composed during a time after her father's unexpected death in 2004. The variety of moods and lo-fi production perfectly compliment Naess' soft, misty voice on tracks such as "Leave Your Boyfriends Behind" and "Learning As We Go."