Daniel Lanois

In the recording studio, producer Daniel Lanois imbues material by his clients--U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel among them--with a warm, womblike glow that creates the illusion of intimacy out of a careful wrangling of modern technology. He does the same thing on his own solo albums: If last year's Shine is a little light in the tune department, Lanois spared no effort in capturing the rounded edges of his mellow guitar playing and airy everycanadian croon; check "As Tears Roll By," which pivots on a sampled lick by the late blues great Charley Patton, for a taste. Expect to enter Lanois' world at the Silver Leaf, and expect to not want to leave.