Notes of Blue

At just over 30 minutes, Notes of Blue is a spare-but-sturdy showcase for songwriter Jay Farrar’s world-weary voice. Using haunting guitar tunings borrowed from the likes of Mississippi Fred McDowell, Nick Drake, and Skip James, Farrar stacks up shimmering ballads ("Cairo and Southern,” "Promise the World”), smoldering midtempo laments ("Cherokee St."), and rowdy rockers ("Static," "Lost Souls").