On her 2003 North American debut, Not Going Anywhere, Keren Ann appeared to be the picture-perfect Parisian chanteuse, cooing quirky folk tunes you'd expect to hear in a Montmartre cafe. But subsequent releases have revealed a more adventurous spirit. At times, her music imagines how The Velvet Underground might have turned out had they chosen Jane Birkin as their muse instead of Nico; at others, she veers toward the lustrous, cosmic pop of Air. Throughout it all, her casual, conversational vocals betray a surprising fortitude, injecting even the most despondent lyrics with sly wit.