October's Hill
A songwriter's songwriter, a troubadour's troubadour, Bill Staines remains an unassuming secret of contemporary folk music, even though his work has long been celebrated by his peers (Nanci Griffithstill performs his "Roseville Fair" in concert). The New England native has lived on the road, and his 22nd recording suggests how much his songs share with the careful images ofGuy Clark(he covers Clark's "Virginia's Reel") and the roving ballads ofTownes Van Zandt, even though his baritone voice is more genteel and less compelling than those Texas singers. When he delivers the 19th-century hymn "All Things Bright and Beautiful" it's easy to hear why his children's recordings have been so popular. But judged purely on songwriting,October's Hillsuccessfully captures the restless, quixotic melancholy of the troubadour's life.--Roy Kasten