Swedish singer/songwriter Christian Kjellvander spent enough time in both Seattle and his homeland to absorb the best of each musical world. His old band The Loosegoats became one of Sweden’s best-loved Americana-type groups, and Kjellvander’s solo work has led to even more critical acclaim and creative experimentation. For his fifth solo album, The Pitcher, Kjellvander recorded in an old Swedish church with members of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; the chamber-folk atmosphere recalls Nick Drake’s work with Robert Kirby. Christian’s dry delivery may remind listeners of Richard Buckner on more than a few tracks here, especially “The Zenith Sunset,” where a small stuttering band accompanies the troubadour in his wanderings, and “The Bloodline,” where he sings nearly a cappella, with just a plink of instrumentation simmering under the surface for the first two minutes before building instrumentally. As a brief 35-minute song cycle, with just eight lyrical tunes (“The Field Before” is a one-minute instrumental), The Pitcher is both economical and beautifully tended.