F&M

With a name inspired by a well-known Edmonton funeral home, it's not surprising that F&M make music filled with drama and passion. The trio create a compelling sense of story in each of the songs on their fourth album, using the interplay between male and female voices ― hers pure and light, his rough but restrained ― to emphasize the strong narrative. Along with multi-instrumentalist Bryan Reichert, Rebecca and Ryan Anderson take a leisurely approach to acoustic folk, but add theatricality with dramatic vocal touches, accordion embellishments and unconventional song structures. The gentle pace and wide-open spaces in songs like "Goodnight," "I Pray for the Fog" and "Music by the Sea" lend a haunting mood to the music. And the cover of cowboy ballad "Streets of Laredo," sweetly performed in the style of an old English folk song, is a special delight.