Corrina Repp

Corrina Repp is probably not a lot of fun at parties. The 10 tunes on the singer's third LP -- including a beautiful cover of Sammy Fain's "I'll Be Seeing You" -- are so relentlessly downbeat that they should come with a warning not to be taken with alcohol. On It's Only the Future, the Portland artist sketches a world of such desolate loneliness that it would make Cat Power or even Raymond Carver weep. In many ways, the songs follow that minimalist author's lead -- the narratives unfurl to prickly, unresolved conclusions; the music's a stark tangle of acoustic strums, electronic clitter clatter, and spooky organ. But unlike Carver (and Chan Marshall), Repp gives her lines just enough sweet melody to stave off the mean reds. She might not be the perfect party guest, but her tunes strike a deep chord.