Doug Hoekstra – Around the Margins (Inbetweens) by Chris Parker

Hoekstra is quickly establishing himself as the best-kept secret this side of The Yankees' Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez's birth certificate.   An exemplary singer/writer (which is even more accurate given he will be putting out a book soon), Hoekstra is just outside the circle of Elliot Smith, Joe Henry, and PJ Harvey, delimiting the upper echelon of solo artists.  His easy-going, soft-spoken baritone lingers like a whispered confidence, and his well-developed stories and ruminations are deeply engaging.  The arrangements on Around the Margins tend towrd the acoustic, with the warm flowing voices of Nirva Dorsaint and Colleen Burke Kave offering a vocal counterpoint on more than half the cuts.  Unofrtunately, Hoekstra does fall into a bit of a rut in terms of mood and some of his phrasing. An upbeat tune or two might have helped both, which isn't to disparage this fine album, only to suggest that as he has continued to turn out great albums, the bar has been raised.  A terrific LP, but not Hoekstra's masterpiece.  Not yet.