Boll Weevil

Like Moby, Jones builds contemporary music around old vocals. But instead of techno, Jones, a film composer by trade, tries for a more organic sound, one that reflects the era of his vocal centerpieces. On this cut, available at MP3.com and now being played on some NPR stations, he adds a chorus of light strings, a sweet banjo, and a languid beat to a gorgeous 1940 performance from Vera Hall. Then he steps back and lets the music and voice rise and converge until they burst with joy and life, like an open field in early spring.