Just recently I discovered one of the most beautiful sounds I've heard in a while. Philadelphia native Bill Ricchini's debut album, Ordinary Time, has not stopped playing in my room for about a week now. The album features gorgeous harmonies and amazing production values. If I had to list the Top Ten prettiest but extremely depressing songs, Ricchini's "Ballad in 2D" would follow shortly behind Radiohead's "Let Down." 

Ricchini's vocals have a kind of carefree, almost careless overtone. His songs become lively and acquire more meaning through clever use of instruments like cellos, trumpets, cymbals and tambourines. This is especially evident in "A Mountain, A Peak," where Ricchini uses horns, acoustic guitar, a shaker and a Korg organ to good effect. Ordinary Time has definitely left me wanting to buy Ricchini's newest album, Tonight I Burn Brightly (2005).