On the ambitious *Stray Ashes*, Canadian JESSE BRYAN MARCHANT takes his songs to the borders of folk. While the songwriter followed a path once trod by BON IVER by recording most of these tracks in an isolated house in the wilderness, the formal freedom and beautiful orchestrations at work here are beyond comparison. With restraint, JBM delivers ten charcoal-hued tracks, perfectly highlighted by a sound that is both rich and spare, earthy and atmospheric, the result of a collaboration with producer JOHN CONGLETON. A revelation, following in the footsteps of NEIL YOUNG and MY MORNING JACKET.