After two years of touring in support of 2004's "Broke," bluegrass traditionalist act King Wilkie found renewed inspiration listening to country rock and the sounds of Nick Drake, Nico and Leonard Cohen. The Virginia sextet hasn't abandoned its roots, as evidenced by the straight-up bluegrass of "Wrecking Ball," but it has embraced a more sophisticated and introspective approach with "Low Country Suite." Songwriters Reid Burgess, John McDonald and Ted Pitney explore their dark sides on lovely, melancholy tracks like "Oh My Love" and "The Raising of the Patriarchs." And while "Broke" bursts with the raw energy of banjo and mandolin, the material here unfurls more deliberately. Relaxed charmers "Angeline" and "Captivator" demonstrate how adeptly King Wilkie has fused elements of country rock, pop and folk to achieve a sound a wider audience can appreciate.—Alexandra Cahill