Editor’s Note: Our new, recurring “Albumism Recommends” series aims to shine a bright light on our favorite albums of the past, with an emphasis on the records that arguably never achieved the widespread or sustained attention they rightfully deserve. As you’ll see below, unlike our longer-form feature articles, we’ve intentionally kept the accompanying commentary to a minimum, so as to allow the great music to speak for itself.

We hope that you enjoy discovering (or rediscovering) these musical treasures and if you like what you hear, we encourage you to spread the good word far and wide so that others can experience these under-the-radar classics as well.

ARTIST: Lois
TITLE: Butterfly Kiss
RELEASED: Month DD, Year
LABEL: K Records
NOTABLE TRACKS: “Davey” | “Never Last” | “Sorora”
BUY: Bandcamp

In the ’90s, Lois Maffeo (professionally known simply as Lois) was a K Records darling who got a burst of attention during the alternative explosion, and then just sort of faded away. Like many artists on the K label, Lois’ sound is more folky acoustic than fuzzed-out grunge, which is probably why she didn’t get the sustained acclaim she deserved from that decade.

Lois’ enduring allure lies in her secretarial seriousness, the warm tone she coaxes from her guitar, and her gorgeously low, straightforward, wise-beyond-her-years vocals. Butterfly Kiss is lazy-day apartment music, with coffeehouse atmosphere. Standout tracks include “Never Last,” a mid-tempo, addictive jangle you’ll want to play on repeat (which I still do, often), “Davey,” a dreamy lament for a half-absent lover, and “Sorora,” which, with its guitar mimicking soft rainfall, is a perfect showcase for the heartbreaking charm of Lois’ singular voice.

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