If you're planning on heading into the woods for a peaceful vacation on the lake this summer, I recommend bringing Sunshone Still's Ten Cent American Novels.

Simply stated, the album sounds like Nick Drake's contemplative vocals got together with the depressing yet addicting melodies of the Wallflowers. Not only do Sunshone's, a.k.a. Chris Smith's, vocals bring a sense of serenity, but also the exquisite, sporadic use of instrumentals forces even those in the city to close their eyes and imagine gazing at rippling waters, watching the sun set as the stunning harmonies set as well. In each track (minus the unnecessarily long, uninteresting interludes), I felt the coming together of nature and the conclusion of the day, as the dusk falls and everything becomes silent.

The high point of Ten Cent was the beautiful male/female duet on "The Winning of WaaniBeh," which created a melodic harmony combined with a steady, nostalgic beat. This song was made for a late-night drive through the country, looking up at the stars and searching for the meaning of life. The beautifully melancholic tune is also the perfect song to listen to while experiencing an identity crisis, with the simple yet brilliantly recorded repetition of "Save me, save me, save me." Sunshone's Native American roots come across loud and clear throughout the album, causing even non-spiritual listeners to pause and wonder what, if anything, is controlling their destinies.

As a whole, Ten Cent tends to sound like an average Wallflowers record at times, but the element of spirituality and a sound powerful enough to fill the Grand Canyon are what separate Sunshone from 90s pop. In "Prologue," Smith's raspy-sweet vocals combine with triumphant trumpets to create a regal sound, as if the album is giving a voice to nature—a voice that rings out as ruler of the earth.

Sunshone Still's Myspace page describes the album as a "historical character study, written in the form of a novel." If the album had been a novel, I would have skipped over the excessively lengthy interludes, but the other chapters would have kept my attention. In an age where lyrics focus on love and heartbreak, Sunshone's songs stand out, dealing with centuries of pain endured by Native Americans in their homeland. By bringing the past into the present with heart-wrenching tunes, Ten Cent American Novels effectively engages listeners and continually evokes feelings of peace.