Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton - Knives Don’t Have You Back

Following Stars’ Amy Millan, Haines is the latest Canadian indie diva to fly solo. Where Millan opted for a boozy country album, the Metric singer has gone for a potent, late-night lounge record. Dreamy piano ballads like “Doctor Blind,” “Reading in Bed” and “The Last Page” have a deliciously narcotic effect, while “Our Hell,” “The Lottery’ and the Neil Young response “The Maid Needs a Maid” offer dark and humorous messages. Wildly original, this hypnotic debut seems destined to make Haines an even bigger star.

Sept. 26