"Soft Hail" is John Craigie's fifth studio album and marks a sort-of return to the simple acoustic style of his first two albums. While his last offering "A Picnic on the 405" was a full-fledged studio-concept album, brimming with production tricks and thick layers of instrumentation, "Soft Hail" is a much quieter, contemplative record. The change suits Craigie well, especially vocally, where the rough, hushed textures of his unique singing voice are given center-stage. The production values are still very high-quality, but there's a lot more simplicity to the arrangements, giving the album a very "live" feel. As a songwriter, Craigie explores the bittersweet yearning of the life of a traveler--the songs are populated by characters who experience brief moments of connection that leave indelible marks on their lives--as the last line of the title track "Soft Hail" explains, "the form is temporary, but the impact is eternal." Lucky for us the album is here to stay!

John Craigie has done it again! always taking his music to the next level yet retaining the core of what makes him so special...his rawness. The songs I like best are the ones which you can put on as I lay down with my love to a warm fire.