Artist: Jason Collett (www.arts-crafts.ca)
Album: “Here’s To Being Here” (Arts & Crafts)

As a member of the wildly prolific Broken Social Scene, Jason Collett is a long-standing member of Canada’s indie elite. Following up ’06’s “Idols,” “Here’s to Being Here,” Collett has simply outdone himself. The sound of the Howie Beck-produced album is simple and engaging with lots of space (an undervalued musical component), and the tunes are pleasantly down to earth.

From the opening musical and melodic hooks of “Roll On Oblivion,” the songs and performances are effortless, and the sonic choices are perfect. A bit of a chameleon, Collett offers up his best George Harrison on “Sorry Lori,” and while half singing “Out of Time,” he sounds like a charming cross between Dylan, Paul Simon and Lou Reed. Elsewhere, on “Charlyn, Angel of Kensington,” he concocts a simmering and funky, syncopated groove, and “No Redemption” has a breezy, banjo “Everybody’s Talkin’” feel.

There’s no escaping the feeling that you’re hearing not only what resides in Collett’s head but what it would sound like to hear him in a living room. As of late, Collett has been in good company, opening for Feist, Calexico and Josh Rouse. Let’s cross our fingers and hope for a “Mountain Stage” appearance.

– By Michael Lipton