The tireless efforts of unsuspecting wayward souls are bound to turn up a few surprises when scouring for exciting new music. One such welcomed surprise is Jay Munly’s latest album, Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots (a co-release by Smooch Records and Alternative Tentacles Records). Many newcomers to country-music styling have a vague understanding and appreciation for what typifies this particular genre. Their search often narrowly focuses on country artists such as Toby Keith, The Dixie Chicks or Shania Twain, because these are the mainstay of commercial country stations. This overtly catchy, radio-friendly and fun-lovin’ clean country fun is simply not an aesthetic that Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots produce.

Inspired more by the enigmatically wistful facets of traditional country music, Munly regales us with personal tales of earthly woe, inexorable darkness and spiritual uncertainty. These thematic elements work extremely well in conjunction with Munly’s stylized singing. Additionally, the admixture of violins, cellos and lonesome guitar accentuate the vividly powerful, albeit highly unusual, lyrical content. The presence of hauntingly melodic female vocals enables the album with a glimmering ethereal quality. Previous releases featured mostly male harmony.

Having said that, Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots is not quite as strong a release as its predecessor, Jimmy Carter Syndrome (2002). That earlier recording was astonishingly consistent musically and artistically. A few selections on this most-recent album pale in comparison. "Another Love Song About Jesus, a Wedding Sheet and a Bowie Knife" is a classic example, because it feels a bit aurally removed from the other tracks. It’s a little too light and airy-sounding, but perhaps that’s intentionally meant to contrast the song’s harrowing words of murderous betrayal. Still, such songs diminish the continuity while progressing through the musical content.