The week so far has been pretty meh,

but I did finally receive two Jeanette - the "Corazon De Poeta" from Spain - albums I had on back order and a hard to find French actress/folk chanteuse Marie Laforet release from the 60s to add to my collection today in the mail.  Can’t get enough of those of those international birds of a certain vintage

Also, on Monday I stopped by Olssons 15% off everything sale - I was hungry for a kick after a rough return to the office  - and I unexpectedly encountered the Davey Ray Moor solo project. I’ve been coveting Telepathy for ages but couldn’t afford the import price. Good news, the album has arrived domestically through the Lakeshore label!

I’m a huge devotee of Davey Ray Moor’s band Cousteau – I’ve experienced them several times live (they are amazing!) and have been a bit confused lately about their status. Apparently the Jacques Cousteau estate raised legal issue with the group over their name and as far as I understand they opted to re-christen themselves “Moreau.” In Europe, they’ve had an album, Nova Scotia, scheduled for release or out already. Whatever. I’d sure like to hear it sometime. But I’ve been way more greatly looking forward to Telepathy – for the guest vocalists and a new direction for Moor’s prodigious songwriting talent. Coustaeu’s last US release, Sirena, fell a little short of their breathtaking debut. But they were magnetic taking it live.

In Europe the album is billed like a group effort to “Stellar Ray,” and, indeed, although Moor has penned, produced, and arranged this amazing project, his vocals appear only appear as backing and on one or two tracks as lead. Moor was always the man behind the music in Cousteau, giving the lead singer Liam McKahey the spotlight, but on the few vocals he provides on Telepathy, he demonstrates a similarly sensual and versatile vocal range. Actually all the guest male vocalists seem to have this shared ability to go from basso-profundo depths to mellifluous highs – Scott Walker and David Bowie are apt comparisons here. Davey Ray Moor is an amazing, unselfish songwriter, and he generously relinquishes vocal duties to a cast of highly talented players, giving this “solo” project more range.

The contributions by Moor’s long-time collaborator/muse, the underexposed and awesomely gifted Italian chanteuse Cristina Dona are the highlights of Telepathy and worth the price alone. In addition to an English-language version of her lovely “Wherever Finds You,” Dona and Davey contribute a devastatingly poignant acoustic take on the Bee Gees’ classic ballad, “How Deep is Your Love?”  It will break your heart.

(After Feist hits big time in the US come March – and my money’s on this one -  this is where to run to next... la bella Cristina Dona...)

Pre-Cousteau band mate Darion Marshall, whose searing phrasings recall Jeff Buckley, Italian blues legend and Andy Forest collaborator/vocalist Sergio Cocchi, and former Skylab diva Debbie Sanders all turn in impressive performances.

Telepathy is decidedly timeless, bringing to mind Burt Bacharach, Isaac Hayes, and even The Carpenters.  It is also refreshingly “adult”- as in late night sexy - and European in feel.  Those with a hankering for Elvis Costello in his slow burn ballad mode or Nick Cave in his crooner glam will feel at home by the fire. Greg Dulli/Twilight Singers devotees are well advised to visit.  I’m still spending time getting to know this smoldering, soulful gem, but I know already Telepathy is going to be in heavy-rotation on my player for years to come.