Four songs that barely make it past the twelve-minute mark. Brief as it is, this searing EP leaves scars. Alexis Castrogiovanni is a cellist, and she's also clearly a huge P.J. Harvey fan. Her songs are largely cello and voice, with the occasional bari sax and percussion.

Alexis Castrogiovanni Someday My Thoughts Will Be Like a Range of Mountains (self-released)

And yes, these are lyric-delivery pieces. Castrogiovanni is forthright with her thoughts, and her compositions provide stirring backdrops for those ideas. I assume she's a good cellist--she sounds great--but what really impresses are her voice and composing.

Is this pop? Art rock? Primal scream therapy? Yep. Again, those who are drawn to P.J. Harvey's moan cycles will find a kindred spirit, though Castrogiovanni doesn't wail so much as intone. Her use of rhythmic counterpoint is astonishing.

Perhaps its best that this is just four songs. A full albums worth of songs like this just might cause a heart attack. Intensely beautiful.

Jon Worley