Like June Tabor and Jean Redpath, Irish singer Niamh Parsons (pronounced Neeve Parsons) has a nimble yet long-breathed alto capable of endless and elusive shades of emotion. On this set, which is dedicated to her late father, her material is delicately autumnal. At least half of the songs deal with loss of one sort or another, and even the upbeat tunes seem to harbor a tinge of wistful remembrance. The arrangements run toward chiming, sparsely applied guitars and mandolins, with a couple of lively instrumentals tossed in for good measure. Josephine Marsh, a Clare-based accordionist whom Sharon Shannon has often cited as one of Ireland"s best, is heard to great effect. Parsons"s own sister Anne, Tony Gibbons, and Terry Coyne contribute subtly deferential backup vocals. But, ultimately, it is the unaccompanied ballads that grab the heart and won"t let go, as the singer becomes the song and the storyteller becomes the story. --Christina Roden