Jodi Phillis' new solo album, In Dreams I Live, is a fine piece of work. You may know "Waiting, Wanting, Holding" with its tone of resigned disquiet from the TV series Love Is A Four Lettered Word, and that song is a good sampler of the quality of the album. With Jodi being one of the chief songwriters for the late great Clouds, it's no surprise to find echoes of that band, particularly in the vocal arrangements and guitar kick, but with a quite countrified feel to some songs. Though as a whole the feel is laidback, with "Ride the Darkness" almost trancelike, there's plenty of upbeat moments, f'rinstance "Arrendlezgye", and flourishes like loops and effects help to flesh out the tunes without overwhelming them. Excellent contributions by the likes of Raph Whittingham on drums, Dearhunter cohort Tim Oxley on "Leaves", the ubiquitous Fourplay string quartet, Tegan Northwood, and others all help to make In Dreams I Live a welcome return from one of the country's better songwriters. Go get.