Argentine-Swedish singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez has a lot of hyphens. He also has a lot of talent. With classical guitar chops and brooding lyrics, Gonzalez exhibits a unique blend of driving intensity and musical flair. Parents may already be familiar with his cover of "Heartbeats," by fellow Swedes The Knife, which was featured in a TV ad for Sony Bravia televisions. Last September, Gonzalez released In Our Nature, the full-length follow-up to his 2003 debut, Veneer. But don't let Gonzalez' dreamy arrangements and spare production fool you: he's no sleepy neo-folkster. Rather, he makes it clear that his influences extend beyond the boy-meets-guitar standards. Just as the highlight of Veneer was arguably Gonzalez' stripped-down version of The Knife's baroque synth-pop gem, the standout track on In Our Nature is the guitarist's brilliant cover of Massive Attack's trip-hop classic "Teardrop."

Recommended if you like: James Taylor, Nick Drake, Andrés Segovia

Track picks: "Hearbeats" | "Hints" | "Down the Line" | "Teardrop"

If you like Jose Gonzalez, check out: Cat Power, Damien Rice, Ray LaMontagne

Photo by heartonastick via Flickr.