SEARCHING souls have a certain appeal, particularly for those who live in the city. Matt Ward has been blazing his own dusty trail over five albums, with his crumpled voice and distinctive songs.

Post War takes a welcome step away from the conceptual, distant world of his last LP. With the help of Bright Eyes' producer and friends, Ward has recorded his most accessible record to date, without sacrificing his style.

Kicking off splendidly, Right In The Head sums up Ward's appeal: off-beat, sad lyrics set to a rollicking tune. Elsewhere there are tender moments, such as Chinese Translation, and enough of his guitar playing for this to have wide appeal.

Critical success seems also to be the lot of John Darnielle and his fragrant Mountain Goats. Recorded in sparer style to Ward, this is the latest in a series of postcards that carry the air of confessional authenticity.

Half Dead and If You See Light hint at their bleak contents. Darnielle's waver is reminiscent of bands such as Herman Dune or early Belle And Sebastian and will strike a chord in those quarters.

This is music for the wee hours, for keeping demons at bay with the salve of someone else's troubles.

Of course, some will say it is morose and self indulgent, but the incisive lyrics make up for the uneventful tunes and give the work staying power.