Best known as a founding member of Brit shoegaze pioneers Slowdive -- and then the band's folk/pop focused spin-off Mojave 3 -- Halstead's solo output, most notably 2008's excellent Oh! Mighty Engine, has reshaped his skill as a songwriter and drawn equally ecstatic critical praise...for his third solo project -- self-described as "a little darker" -- Halstead recruited producer Nick Holton and the Wallingford, Oxfordshire musical collective Band of Hope as his backing band, a like-minded outfit of rustic English folk/rockers // Release: Palindrome Hunches (September 11, Brushfire/Universal) // Sounds Like: Halstead's sandy textured vocals are the icing on the proverbial cake, a John Martyn-styled gentleness and melancholy that draws you into the shadowy undercurrents below the serene surface...watch the video for Halstead's ode to his own marital split with "Spin The Bottle" below... 　　 　　Quote: "Honestly, I think making music is inherently connected with your life and all the stuff that happens in it. There is no separation, so sometimes my songs can get a little personal." Neil Halstead in L.A. Music Blog // What We Like: Lead track Full Moon Rising is sure to rekindle all the Nick Drake comparisons, a lilting song of serene beauty that lingers long after the last note fades..."Digging Shelters" is, as The Line of Best Fit puts it, "perfection in simplicity"...