Believers Fat Possum***

There's a graceful, stately drift to the third solo album from Alabama's Auguste Arthur Bondy, as befits a southern gentleman who knows the ins and outs of spooky Americana. As you'd expect, Bondy plays firmly by the rules when it comes to this arcane, dusty music, yet he has the craft and nous to keep you hooked with deeply pensive, intense songs delivered in a husky, distinctive voice. Fans of downbeat, low- key folk-rock looking for someone new to go to with their Ryan Adams and Jeff Tweedy albums will purr with delight at tracks such as The Heart Is Willing, Surfer Kingand DRMZ. But while the performance is a high-calibre one, the lack of any edge or difference to the songs is a mite puzzling. Sometimes it's okay to bend the rules a little, and it would be good to hear what Bondy would sound like if he did cut loose. See facebook.com/aabondy

Download tracks: The Heart Is Willing, DRMZ