In mid-coast Maine, there is an intertwining of beauty and melancholy strong enough to stun any who travel through its tiny towns in the dead of winter. In places like Belfast, emptied of the summertime traveling public, there is a feeling of being pushed by the forest up against the enormity of the Atlantic Ocean. It is this emotional landscape that emerges from the words and music of Belfast, Maine’s native sons, Tree By Leaf.

Bob Halperin knows the blues. A remarkably fluent guitarist and singer, Halperin is a disciple of the pure blues tradition. And as the title of this superb CD suggests, Halperin enjoys exploring the varied styles within this rich tradition.

After an enviable thirteen years of music making, there’s no denying that local roots-rock quintet Pondering Judd is well into the band equivalent of middle age. Yet their recently released fifth album bears no indication that the group is suffering from the stereotypical mid-life crisis. To the contrary, “Lonesome Heart Strangers” is by and large a mature, reserved effort, reflecting a band that is wholeheartedly embracing this phase of life.

It begins with a stalking, bow-driven bass line. Twenty seconds later, a haunting vocal jumps into its midst. The voice, somewhere between Roy Orbison and Thom Yorke, sets the mood that will prevail throughout the remainder of the CD. The listener is cast into a somewhat dark, extraordinarily tense, acutely dramatic fray of introspection. At this point, it’s best to turn out the lights.