Her new album July Flame doesn't arrive until January 12 but critical darling Laura Veirs isn't wanting for advance press from some famous friends. Fellow Portlander Colin Malloy of the Decemberists (with whom Veirs collaborated on a track from the Crane's Wife album) has already used his predictive powers to declare July Flame as his favorite album of 2010 while another Veirs fan (and Flame guest) Jim James of My Morning Jacket describes their relationship in more apiological terms: "Laura’s like the queen bee and my ear is her hive; she nests and makes honey in the hairs of my cochlea."

New album is her first since 2007's Saltbreakers and is described by her label scribes as "a magical and flawless collection of songs, drenched in wood smoke, sunlight, pastoral dales, fireworks and warm nights...the lyrics explore the dichotomy between one’s desire for permanence and security and the realisation that such things rarely exist." Heady words yes, but an advance listen of selected tracks does reveal that the advance buzz (more bee references, sorry) is more than justified. Tantalizingly melodic with a vision that remains appealingly askew, Veir's new songs such as the art-pop gem of a title track and neo-folk atmospherics of "I Can See Your Tracks" (featuring James on backing vocals) make July Flame an eagerly anticipated contender.

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Laura Veirs - "July Flame" (from the album July Flame)

Laura Veirs - "I Can See Your Tracks" (from the album July Flame)