Friday, February 8, 2008

PATTY LARKIN"Watch the Sky"Vanguard Records

BOSTON FOLK SINGER Patty Larkin is often mentioned alongside such contemporaries as Christine Lavin, founder of the Four Bitchin' Babes, a folk quartet that included Larkin on its 1991 debut.

But Larkin stands alone on her latest, "Watch the Sky," taking the concept of a solo album to its extreme: She played every instrument and sang every vocal. More important, though, her approach feels effortless; it's more an interesting footnote than the album's sole gimmick. Better still is her choice to keep her songs simple rather than burden them with unnecessary instrumentation. "All Souls Day" has a haunting sparseness, and slow-paced "Cover Me" pairs Larkin's breathy voice with a minimal guitar line.

Her one-woman-band approach is occasionally exposed, such as with the looped guitar that pulses on the instrumental "Bound Brook." But that subtle repetition grounds her more impressionistic flourishes, giving a juxtaposition of structure and fluidity that nicely embodies the song's title.

-- Catherine P. Lewis

Appearing Saturday at the Barns of Wolf Trap (877-965-3872,http://www.wolftrap.org). Show starts at 7:30.