Richard Davies

Davies, an Aussie in the U.S., avoids any pro- or anti-American pontification on this dark, dreamy concept album about the displacement of strangers in semi-strange lands. Evocative numbers such as "Palo Alto," "Fog," and "The Coldest Day" feature the ex-Cardinal abandoning lush arrangements of yore for a vaporous but strong guitar rock sound. Grows with each listen.