Holly Golightly

In a world where Britney Spears merits headlines every time she takes a dump (or gets dumped), Holly Golightly breezes in like a Category 5 blast of fresh air. The English-bred chanteuse is everything Spears tries so hard to be — sexy, mysterious and, above all, talented. Following on the heels of her masterful 2003 effort, Truly She Is None Other, the nearly 40-year-old Golightly seems only to improve with age. The singer and guitarist enjoyed a considerable profile boost thanks to her collaboration with the White Stripes on Elephant, which showcased Golightly’s wry humor and back-porch vocals. Her latest effort doesn’t change strategies, but it refines everything Golightly does best — film-noir blues and traditional country that swaggers in a subdued way. It’s ten times more effective than the usual pop-strumpet hysteria.