"Fickle Mind" is propelled by a bass-lead groove and Heidi's confident vocals, and a nice short break provided by Rob Hamilton's jazz guitar.

"Round the Bend" marries a traditional Irish melody and Kate Bush sensibility to a contemporary, mid-tempo beat.

"Planet of You" is my personal favorite. It begins with a chord progression that reminds me strongly of the intro of Steely Dan's "Deacon Blues," followed by a snappy groove and a jazzy melody that further strengthen the connection with The Dan, or Bonnie Raitt in one of her more r&b-ish moods.

"She Laughs Freely" also evokes Kate Bush as well as fellow Vancouverite McLachlan. It's boasts passionate mood and a deep, spiritual melody.

"Play My Game," inspired by the artist watching her first hockey game, provides a perfect platform for her to launch into some of her clever metaphors, set against a sublime mix of bossa nova and Middle-Eastern influences. With it's acoustic guitar-driven melody it wouldn't be out of place at all on an India Arie record.

On "Placebo," Heidi turns up the funk dial with a Erykah Badu vibe, which continues on with "Last Night," a fine example of Heidi's ability to layer her vocals over the beat just right.

"Looking Forward" works because it's a minimally arranged tune with a Spanish flavor and a fascinating bridge. This track was so well recorded, I often forget that it was performed live!

Some of these tracks have gotten some good notice and acclaim. "Fickle Mind" won a songwriting competition, while "Placebo" earned honorable mention in another one. Heidi's been quite a hit on emerging artists site Garageband.com, where some of these tracks garnered her multiple "track of the day", "track of the week" and other kinds of popularly awarded honors.

If you are fortunate enough to catch the Canadian sitcom "Robson Arms" on TV, that's her rendition of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" that has been playing on it the last couple of episodes. "Play My Game" is scheduled to get some airplay on an upcoming episode in the coming months.

There's more about Heidi McCurdy and her music than what I can fit into this space; for the curious, there's always her informative website. For those looking for mature, modern adult contemporary music, this could very well be the best artist they never heard of. For those record labels paying lip service to signing artistry and craft over disposable, bubblegum pop, here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is.

Track listing, with mp3 samples:

1. Wonderland Jam

2. Fickle Mind

3. Round The Bend

4. Planet Of You

5. She Laughs Freely

6. Play My Game

7. Placebo

8. Last Night

9. Looking Forward (live)

10. Wonderland Jam (reprise)

Did I get you on the bandwagon? You can order her CD here.