Poised for great things for years now and Emily Hearn is only getting better. She first caught my attention in late 2011 when a friend pointed me toward the live version of her song "New Orleans" recorded at Black Cat Studio which, upon further research, I learned was a small record company in Griffin, Georgia. From there, she's consistently impressed by deepening the authenticity of her craft and widening her list of apparent influences.

Here, on 'Hourglass,' one can't ignore the Feist-y playfulness of its opening track, "Waking Up Again," the Ingrid Michaelson in "Can't Help Myself," nor the NEEDTOBREATHE soul of "Thank God You're Holding Me." The list here could go on, but suffice it to say that Hearn is both inspiring and inspirable on her latest record.

I've quickly devoured, if not overplayed, this one already, leaving this devotee prematurely impatient for whatever Emily and her husband, Michael, dream up next.

Simply said, this is thoughtful stuff—from content to concept. A brilliant, _brilliant_ record.