Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, and Carolann Solebello are the powerhouse Americana/roots trio who met during a jam session at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2004. I picked up their four-song, self-produced debut CD back in July at the Towne Crier Cafe.

Laurie leads the group on the first track, "Yellow House," a sad up-tempo bluegrass lament about a woman who's sent her good man away. Next is "Long Island Cowboy," an original song by Gardner with MacAllister singing lead. It's a slow, lilting country tune that compares guys from New York City with the cowboys of Texas. "Darling Cory" is a traditional folk song that showcases the group's fabulous vocal harmonies with Gardner singing lead; Abbie's Dobro natural voice and slide guitar are one of the attractions of Red Molly. Finally, "Are You Lonesome Tonight," the 1926 pop-country standard, rounds out the selection, with MacAllister singing lead while the band supports her with guitars and vocals. The only thing missing is Solebello's clear, strong voice up front on at least one song.

For fans of traditional Americana, Red Molly's CD is a breath of fresh air. For sound clips, schedules, and to purchase music, go to www.redmolly.com.

Einstein said that the most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It's unfortunate, then, that he wasn't afforded the opportunity to hear Celestial Voices.

This 14-track disc is no plinky-plunky new age barf, unlike many of the "spiritual" discs New Leaf Distribution cranks out these days (though they occasionally pick up a truly glorious disc like this one—congratulations, ladies). This a cappella female chorale—Kyoko Kitamura, Marlene Primavera, and JSL composer/director/producer Judi Silvano—intertwine crystalline vocals ranging from soaring soprano to deep, earthy tones in a seamless soundscape that transcends the conventional relaxation recording.

The most blindingly beautiful ray of light is the one piercing through the heaviest thundercloud. And here comes the sun. For local listeners, this disc will inevitably draw comparisons to Prana or any number of groups of chanting yogis, monks, nuns, and the like. But this disc moves beyond the ecclesiastical, as its peaceful, placid sea of song has an underlying tone that echoes and haunts, summoning the listener beyond the watchtowers to who knows where. Einstein might have loved it.

Celestial Voices is the second in JSL's meditation series; look for the piano, flute, and harp of Vibration Songs in the spring. For more information, visit www.jslrecords.com/meditation.

Though Sharpie starts to lose its edge after Lennon and McCartney's "Blackbird" (positioned midway through 15 tracks), you still have to enjoy listening to Nichols for a number of reasons.

First, you gotta love his Beck-ian visits to any number of rock 'n' rolls, instantly recognizable, iconographic landscapes. You'll hear U2 on "Find The Sun," John Denver on "Colorado," and Lovin' Spoonful on "The One." There's a bluesy and belligerent Tom Waits roaming 'round on "Whiskey." The Velvet Underground with Bowie make an appearance on "Gansevort St. Love Song." Then there's more blues as guitarists Dan Goldman and Andy Goldsberg, drummer Seth Kornfeld, and keyboardist Scott Barkham go after the Beck brass ring on "Gimme a Woman."

Then there's his sense of humor: "Gimme a woman who can crush a walnut between her thighs," from "Gimme a Woman." Or this flippant bon mot from the folksy pop of "Fairway of Love": "Rolling off the fairway of love and into the rough."

Thirdly and fourthly, you've got to respect the inventor of "The Ladle Cradle," billed as "the perfect thank-you gift for anyone who cooks"—as a guy who knows what people want and makes his music whether the masses like it or not. www.wallynichols.com