Many Colored Kite

An integral member of the original Jayhawks, who have grown in stature and influence within the alt-country community, Mark Olson brings much of his personal life to whatever he sings. 2007’s The Salvation Blues was the sound of a heart-broken man. 2008’s Ready For the Flood,a reunion with the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris, had the sound of two friends re-finding their yin and yang. 2010’s Many Colored Kite is the sound of a man who’s come all the way back. “Little Bird of Freedom” is a full-band workout, but “Morning Dove” is the kind of sparse country-folk tune that is Olson’s most gripping device. His voice is meant for rustic times and it clings to every melodic contour. The country harmonies of the title track, the loping country ensemble playing on “Bluebell Song” and the sparsely orchestrated “Beehive” exhibit Olson’s range. “Your Life Beside Us” offers Olson’s vision of country music, a music not dependent on the shine of slick guitar leads and swooping pedal-steel guitars, but one rich with aching harmonies where memory is pressed into service to make a new moment greater.