Seven Angels on a Bicycle

'Seven Angels on a Bicycle' is Carrie's solo debut after the successful collaboration, 'Red Dog Tracks', with Chip Taylor.

'Seven Angels' puts an urbane, seductive spin on alternative country and bluegrass, with artfully minimalist production that features melancholy echoes of pedal steel, finger-plucked fiddle strings, brushed snare, a whisper of saxophone and plenty of wide open space for Rodriguez's remarkable voice to fill.

Rodriguez boasts an affecting twang and brings a wonderfully lived-in quality to her vocal performances. There's an intimacy, honesty and sexual frankness within them that makes her every breath worth hanging on to.

All the while she and co-producer Chip Taylor push musical boundaries, stripping country-style tunes to their emotional and melodic essence. There's an Austin-style warmth on these tracks, counter-balanced with New York sophistication.

The band includes avant-jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and his own frequent bandmates, drummer Kenny Wollesen and bassist Viktor Krauss (brother of Allison); pedal and lap steel player Greg Leisz, who's worked with everyone from k.d. lang to Beck; jazz saxophonist (and Rodriguez's husband) Javier Vercher; and Chip Taylor on acoustic guitar.