Karen Elson

Add Date: May 25

Artist: Karen Elson

Album: The Ghost Who Walks

Label: XL

Genre: Folk, rock

Comments: Karen Elson has delivered one of 2010's biggest surprises: despite being a solo debut, The Ghost Who Walks is an accomplished collection of folk, blues rock and alt-country. Elson has previously worked with The Citizens Band, and she sang a duet with Cat Power on a 2006 Serge Gainsbourg tribute album, but up until now she's been better known for her career as a fashion model, and for being married to Jack White. Her spouse produced this LP and played drums, and Elson also enlisted the help of Jackson Smith (the son of Patti and, as it turns out, the husband of Meg White) on guitar, Jack Lawrence of The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs on bass, Citizens Band member Rachelle Garniez on accordion and vocals, and My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel on pedal steel.

The Ghost Who Walks is by no means a vanity project--the fact that XL (Sigur Ros, Thom Yorke, Vampire Weekend) would release it should tell you that much--but instead, it's a terrific effort that will appeal to fans of Elson's influences, namely PJ Harvey and Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star), as well as Neko Case and Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Start with "The Truth Is in the Dirt," "Cruel Summer," "Stolen Roses" and the title track.