The Kennedys - Angel Fire (1998)

The Kennedys' hopelessly romantic and literary aspirations as an acoustic duo come into much sharper focus with this album. After an exhausting tour behind their Life Is Large album (loaded with guest artists helping out), the Kennedys bought a small house in Reston, Virginia and turned it into their own 16-track studio. The respite from the road refueled their songwriting muse, and this intimate little album came as a result. The songwriting is stark, pulling from pop and folk-rock genres as well as contemporary folk traditions. There's a lot of ambience on this album, and highlights include "The Fire & The Rose," the starkness of "Angels Cry," "Bells & Loaves & Letters," the 12-string jangle of "Common Bond," "A Place of Time" and the sing-along coolness of "Just Like Henry David." The duo takes a major leap forward artistically with this album.