Paul Reddick’s Villanelle is one of those records that just grows on you and keeps the listener interested on several levels. First of all, the instrumentation is a nicely balanced blend of acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, harp, bass, and drums. Reddick’s varied vocal approaches range from an introspective conversational voice akin to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska era, to a gruff almost Tom Waits-like approach elsewhere, to a more mellow bittersweet approach that resonates with a quiet, lived-through authority. Reddick states in the liner notes that he spent a year traveling and roaming the back roads of life looking for adventure and experience. There is a haunting sense of blues tinged nocturnal poetry throughout the immensely satisfying Villanelle partly because Reddick’s approach is so understated that the music sounds natural and experienced. There are some moments here that are a little too loud and distorted for these ears, but that’s a small complaint considering the subtle perfection of songs such as “Round This Time of Year,” Blue Eveningtide,” “Winter Birds” and the title selection. Paul Reddick’s Villanelle is definitely worth tracking down.