Alela's Pirates Gospel was our album of the year for 2007, and it seems that she has surpassed even that with this amazing album. To Be Still, the follow-up release from alternative folk artist Alela Diane, is an intimate, haunting affair that showcases her songwriting and singing skills. Focused chiefly on Diane’s voice and acoustic guitar, To Be Still recalls both the classic female folk singers like Karen Dalton and the spookier, more associative dimensions of contemporary artists like Marissa Nadler and Nina Nastasia. But while her voice lilts and lulls, it’s the poetry of her lyrics and their evocative narratives that make this sophomore effort truly shine.