?Ardent Fevers? is one of the sweeter surprises of 2006. Where past Tanakh albums were darker chamber folk affairs not without their own charms, this collection sees Jesse Poe and his big band lightening the mood a bit, kicking up the tempo a step and delivering some of their most memorable melodic trances in the process. Opener ?Drink to Cher? posits minor key acoustic guitars against stop-start bass/drums, all opened up magnificently in the climax with strings and Muscle Shoals brass swells. The track?s a minor masterpiece of understated ensemble soul pop with the Poe?s patented gruffness at the center (he?s a distant relation to Edgar, ya know). Then there?s the beautiful acoustic swoon of ?5 AM? with its cycling guitars and descending brass lines evoking a dream state of soul satisfaction. And there?s rock too. The epic ?Still Trying to Find You Home? erupts into a frenzied fuzz jam that wouldn?t sound out of place on a mid ?70s Crazy Horse record. Same goes for the lazy duels of epic slow burning closer ?Take and Read? which backs its guitar bursts with dark velvety cello trills and soulful organ drones. As with past Tanakh albums, there?s the understated elegance of an ensemble that exhibits the patience and talent of sympathetic pros. Unlike past efforts, ?Ardent Fevers? is even a bit of a toe-tapper. 8/10 -- Lee Jackson (13 February, 2007)