The concentrated nexus of romance, recollection, historic struggles and tragedies, and peerless craftsmanship - coupled with the hopes, fears, and isolation that accompany transition - formed the backdrop of 'The Narrows', Phillips' latest dispatch on Yep Roc Records. Bathed in a woody, warmly reverberating sonic signature, the album's thirteen songs are marked by longing and a resolute sense of purpose. As though hurling yourself full-force into the unknown is as sensible as any other more commonly prescribed course. After all, what feels unknown may be residing just below the surface - should you be willing to dig for it and be open to discovery. The power and substance so ably, tangibly imparted by 'The Narrows' is humble validation of Phillips' instincts and his subsequent decision to uproot, relocating to Nashville from California. Tracking live, vocals and all, from the studio floor of Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Studio, the core trio display uncanny sensitivity - mining their unfamiliarity with one another as a virtue that lends depth and humanity to Phillips' observations. Thus far, Grant-Lee Phillips' new home has lived up to its promise, the change of scenery producing an evocative, profound record that extends the city's legacy of homespun craftsmanship and off-the-cuff recording methods. "True to his word,"