That's Jessica Gall's voice and Robin Meloy Goldsby's lyrics on Little Big Soul. Prior to this, I had not heard of Gall, but I've known Goldsby's writing since I had the privilege to read her novel, Rhythm, during the inaugural Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards Contest.

Gall's got an amazing, smoky voice that reminds me a cross between Eliza Gilkyson and Corrine Bailey Rae. The arrangements for her vocals are spare, but strong with a variety of themes. There's not a song among the dozen that isn't extremely listenable.

Usually, there are a couple of "skippers" on each CD, but I can't say that about this one. My personal faves are quite diverse; for instance, "Beautiful Girls" seems like an excellent prelude to Rae's "Put Your Records On." "Little Big Soul," the title song, is a heartbreaker; we've all known someone who's just luminous and unforgettable.

Goldsby is also at the top of her form. She's provided lyrics for every song on this album except the second track, "Come Rain or Come Shine." The breadth of her lyrical skill is just as impressive as her ability to write novels.