Co-produced by Kris and drummer Billy Conway (Morphine), engineered by Steve Folsom (Melissa Etheridge) and mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie (Radiohead, Hole, Morphine), the songs on 2001’s Five Stories boast unconventional, richly-textured arrangements. By turns rootsy and haunting, velvety and rough-cut, the common threads are the intimate live sound, Kris’s spellbinding vocals, and lyrics which consistently extend beyond the ordinary.

Although backed by a full band, the record features almost none of the requisite electric guitar. Instead, that space is filled by a host of instruments including mandolin, banjo, cello, accordion, baritone sax, bouzouki, and trumpet.  Contributors include Andrew Mazzone (Kim Richey, Catie Curtis), Dana Colley (Morphine), Jennifer Kimball, Sean Staples, Jabe Beyer, Lori McKenna, Catie Curtis, and a parade of others.  The setting was Hi-n-Dry, the loft and studio space of late Morphine frontman Mark Sandman.