Friday, December 21, 2007; WE06

MEREDITH BRAGG"Silver Sonya"The Kora Records

"SILVER SONYA" IS Meredith Bragg's first release without his backing band, the Terminals, and at times it features nothing but Bragg's voice and acoustic guitar. Yet the local singer-songwriter does have an accompanist on most of these 11 tunes: the recording studio for which the album is named. Under the project's ground rules, producers T.J. Lipple and Chad Clark (who run Silver Sonya) were not allowed to add any new sounds, but they could sample, loop and otherwise manipulate the vocals and guitar.

That could have led to a mess, but Lipple and Clark respect Bragg's songs and performance, which are never lost in the effects. The music remains simple, direct and intimate, as befits these musings. The set includes "Plinian," a historical ballad that seems to be about the eruption of Vesuvius, but most of the songs are more personal. "Just turn your heart to me," Bragg sings in the almost-jaunty "Ballad of an Opportunist," and the distant electronic "wa-aa-aahs" underscore the line by turning the music ever so slightly plaintive.

-- Mark Jenkins

Appearing Thursday with Paul Michel and Donny Hue at the Black Cat (202-667-7960,http://www.blackcatdc.com). Show starts at 9.