Intro/general thoughts: Lisa Kane's "Old Strings & All" made me change my mind about something that is usually a musical pet peeve for me. It sounds like Kane writes poetry and sets it to music, which means that the rhythm and flow of the songs aren't always smooth. The musical fit isn't right in many places. But on this CD, I like that this feels off-kilter. It's raw and real, and it works. "Old Strings & All" is a work of art on a spiritual level. It pulled me right in.

Type of Music: Folk music with a rock edge

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota

Notable: Kane used to be in an all-female heavy metal band called Zelpha Trippe. In 1994, she went acoustic and struck out on her own.

Highs: "Sage" is my favorite track - dreamy, hopeful, and brought to life by a story on the inside cover of the CD. According to the story, the sagebrush has the eternal power of purification. In the song, Kane dreams of a world with no need of a sage. Beautifully done.

Another high point is an overall theme of nature. Kane sounds like she's playing her guitar on the steps of a cabin in the autumn woods. She sings to the wind, the sky, the sun, the moon. The songs even sound like the elements of nature, especially "Now You Don't," which has a rhythm that feels like tall grasses swaying in the breeze.

Lows: Sometimes the meter of the poetry gets restrictive on the music, which brings me back to my pet peeve. While I do like the song "Feel Me Waiting," for example, it does sound a little awkward, like she's trying to fit the notes around the poem.

Favorite Lines: I could just re-type all the lyrics from the CD cover here. These poems are passionate and vivid. I'll just quote a sample from "Fine With Me":

"Cliches uniquely chosen dance a metaphoric dance so twirl in my spiral daydream to find a point of circumstance."

Fans: Melissa Ethridge, Alanis Morrisette. The Lillith Fair crowd.

Foes: People who wouldn't be caught dead at Lillith Fair.