The Last Town Chorus

Chills. I don't usually do chills, but the opening pedal-steel notes of the Last Town Chorus's version of "Modern Love" signaled the impending possibility, and when Megan Hickey's lonesome, plaintive voice came soaring into the mix, there they were, in full force. The songs on Wire Waltz, the act's latest album, have the kind of hurt-drenched emotional weight that makes you feel simultaneously better and worse when you're down. Gentle acoustic guitar strums, mournful piano, kiss-soft drums and that shiver-inducing voice combine with the lap steel to powerful effect, perfectly augmenting the broken-heartfelt compositions. It's a beautiful album that seems to get better with every listen. Hickey's built a reputation as a strong live performer, and if she can surpass the gorgeous melancholy of her record this Thursday when the Chorus opens for the Weakerthans, the results should be incredible — chilling, even.