Ida

Singer Elizabeth Mitchell has attracted a bigger audience with her well-styled children's records than any that little Ida might ever enjoy, but her partner (and husband) Daniel Littleton takes the lead here, writing most of the songs. Recorded at Levon Helm's studios, the record eschews the easygoing pop elements of recent LPs and focuses on the thing they do best: enveloping simple folk songs in intricate, intimate multipart vocal harmonies. "Willow Tree" and "Kora" are dead brilliant.