Imaginary Appalachia

Based around his deep, weathered-sounding voice and acoustic guitar, with a few other instruments chiming in as needed, Canadian singer/songwriter Colter Wall\'s debut EP is a starkly produced triumph. Though only in his early 20s, Wall\'s world-weary tone combines with hard-living lyrics to evoke Johnny Cash and Townes Van Zandt. And if the dark country-folk vibe isn’t enough to underscore the Van Zandt influence, a spare, stirring cover of his existential gut-punch \"Nothin\'\" surely will.