Save September is actually Crissi Cochrane, a guitar-playing singer-songwriter based in Halifax. "The Bathroom EP", a 5-track album recorded on a laptop, has sold hundreds of copies and earned her a loyal international myspace fan base.

As I sat listening to a few songs, I had lovely, warming flashbacks of Dawson's Creek. Not that the music is juvenile or saccharine-laced; quite the contrary. Her lyrics are simple, astute, and, at times, wise beyond her 19 years. It was the melodic hooks and acoustic, indie qualities of her music that reminded me of a Joey-and-Pacey-making-up moment in which I'd have paid as much attention to the nice song in the background as I did the on-screen action.

"Lonely For Me" contains subtle yet incredibly effective harmonies, and uses likeable repetition in the lyrics that will serve it well as a radio single (you know, the one you hear on the way to work and that you're still humming at suppertime). "les aigles" comes across as a more indulgent, introspective work, but its softness and prettiness have a welcome calming effect. However, my favorite Save September track is "Coming Home" - think Sarah Harmer meets Joel Plaskett's "Love This Town", only with actual heart. An intensely personal song, "Coming Home" takes listeners on a ride through Miss Cochrane's past, and while the locations and landmarks are specific, the feeling she emotes transcends geography and makes you think of your old high school as she's singing about hers. She encapsulates her fondness of home with the lyrics, "no matter where I go I know I'll never be far from/this place that holds me close when I'm falling apart." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Overall, it's the purity of Miss Cochrane's voice that I enjoy the most. It has a crispness and clarity, combined with a velvety finish that makes each song very fluid and easy to listen to.

So if you're looking for something more meaningful than a talentless, pre-fabricated pop tart, but want to avoid the goopy melodrama of a typical Sarah McLachlan tune, look no further than Save September. I guarantee this won't be the last glowing review of her work.