(Compass) www.compassrecords.com

Heidi Talbot runs all over the stylistic landscape on In Love + Light. Within two songs, she leaps from romantic, acoustic folkie (“If You Stay”) to breathy torch singer (“Invisible”). Then that Irish brogue she’s held at bay floats to the surface on “Bedlam Boys,” with its requisite fiddle break, to make sure you don’t forget her country of origin. With pages from the books of Tom Waits and the Ink Spots read, along with a visit to Scottish soil, Talbot might come off like a dilettante if she didn’t handle all these different styles gracefully. Talbot, formerly of the Irish-American act Cherish the Ladies, comes off as interpreter rather than a singer-songwriter, and producer/guitarist Boo Hewerdine creates settings that put her voice in the best light. The never-ending Scottish ballad “Glenlogie” gets a little longwinded with all those verses, but that’s part of the tradition.

Standout Tracks: “Bedlam Boys,” “Invisible” MIKE SHANLEY