Jackie Leven's The Mystery of Love Is Greater Than the Mystery of Death is one of those special releases that intrigues and puzzles on first listen, while laying new circuitry in your subconscious that draws you inexorably back for more. There is absolutely no premeditated "format" to relate this to, nor adequate words to convey this disc's mesmerizing content. On one level, it's all over the place, ranging from Celtic mysticism to Bacharach-David crooning, from atmospheric whispers to Big Country-ish epic statements, from traditional folk instrumentation to lush strings. But it still works as a whole, linked in a loosely thematic way by thoughtful poetry fragments intoned by collaborator Robert Bly (the Waterboys' Mike Scott also guests on the sessions). Leven's deep, reverb-laden vocals (he sang, in the early '80s with obscure new wave band Doll by Doll) reminds one in places of another brilliant, enigmatic British performer, Scott Walker.

A1. Clay Jug
A2. Shadow In My Eye
A3. Call Mother A Lonely Field
B1. The Crazy Song
B2. Farm Boy
B3. The Garden
C1. Snow In Central Park
C2. Looking For Love
C3. Heartsick Land
D1. Gylen Gylen
D2. I Say A Little Prayer
D3. The Bars Of Dundee