Ten thousand years ago (or maybe just eight), Stevie Weinstein-Foner released his first album, Let It Be Told. It garnered plenty of acclaim and not so much commercial attention. And then he disappeared.

Stevie Weinstein-Foner Wondering (Wild Kindness)

Now he's back with his second effort, which dives full bore into the americana ethos. There are echoes of the Band, Jimmy Buffett, the Dead, Guided by Voices and even Pete Seeger. There's also an expansive sound that evokes late afternoons out west. Weinstein-Foner's voice is on the thin side, which is the perfect counterpoint for his almost orchestral arrangements.

The key is the writing, which is wistful, epochal and brimming with emotion. This is a mature effort, and Weinstein-Foner amply proves that he knows exactly when a song is ready. He leaves just a bit undone, that portal through which a listener can more easily access the man behind the song.

Pretty, yes, but above all moving. Wondering never stops its intellectual and emotional ferment, and those ruminations play out on a spectacular musical tableau. Rarely has ambition sounded so personal--and introspection sounded so grand.

Jon Worley