The last album the band recorded before lead singer Natalie Merchant departed for a solo career, Our Time in Eden is the actualization of an unassuming college folk-rock band turned adult-contemporary group in the best possible way. Merchant's lullaby voice is more pure and confident than ever before. And although the music is still dominated by chiming rhythm guitar, the band incorporates an emphatic horn section on several tracks (most notably on "Candy Everybody Wants"). The best track is the sentimental swan song "These Are Days," which will evoke a distant smile and maybe even a teary eye, no matter how hard you try not to let it. --Beth Massa