Smog: Rock Bottom Riser (EMI)

Smog is the astonishingly prolific Bill Callahan who has moved from a deliberately untutored style into what might be loosely considered alt.country.

This four track EP (with Jim White, Joanna Newsom and others) is elegantly plain and unadorned, and sets you up for a new album early next year.

If you haven't heard Smog you need to approach with caution: there are probably a couple of dozen albums, EPs and cassettes out there.

Start here though (it seems to have some hidden video track which my computer couldn't access) and work backwards.

Smog can be a breath of fresh air.