Fate Is The Hunter (U.S. Release)
With a face like Liv Tyler and a winsome voice that recalls early Joni Mitchell and late Fiona Apple, Kate Earl shoots right out of the gate with a couple of genetic advantages. And that's even before you consider her vocal shape-shifting, her audacious jazz chanteuse poses and the unstinting and, at times, painful honesty that she employs when singing these clearly autobiographical numbers. Hailing from Alaska, Earl is no near neighbor of Jewell Kilcher. Both her songs and her poetry are made from stronger stuff, with an attention to detail and nuance that is enviable in an artist her age. "Free" is a high wire act, finding the singer both reaching for lofty notes and even loftier ideals. An astonishing debut.--Jaan Uhelszki