For most of today's generation of musicians, the definition of music requires at least a bass and several electric guitars - appreciation for folk, country, blues, swing and all the other easier-listening styles is almost entirely covered by the older generations.

In Canada and the US, of course, things are somewhat different. Go almost anywhere north of Mexico and you will find each area listening to it's own distinct sound.

Lenore's debut album on Elaine Records, "Lenore", is a pleasant change from the usual stuff we music reviewers listen to day in, day out. The thirteen tracks of Blues and folk rock had my feet tapping right until the last beat - the sound is almost totally acoustic (how's that for a dumb music expression - how can you have non-acoustic sound?) and you can tell what you're gonna get right from the moment you pick up the CD and see the photo of Lenore sitting cross-legged with her guitar on the cover.

The tracks each tell a story, as is traditional in this genre, but Lenore never manages to sink down to the level expected of Blues lyrics - is it possible to have a blues track without mentioning death, alcoholism or divorce? Well, Lenore does and gives us a much more uplifting experience.

Moving quickly from traditional folk to rocking rock-n-roll, we are given the best of all the genres here. If you've never listened to anything outside the pop charts before, this is a good place to start - it may not be your thing, but then again you may be pleasantly surprised. If you are already a steadfast fan of the style, Lenore could well be the latest thing. She can play, and she can sing, and that's more than we can say for a lot of modern "pop" music!!!

Lenore is currently preparing her next album, which I very much look forward to listening to once it is ready.

It will, of course, have a much wider audience stateside for all the reasons I mentioned earlier - but this is no reflection on the quality of the album. If you want to know more about Lenore's unique sound, head over to her website at http://www.lenore.com where you can also order yourself a copy of the Album.

Now, if I can just get my feet to stop tapping...