In a follow up to his 'Fall EP', Jon Foreman's latest solo project, 'Winter', is a fine testament to the season. The songs are more forlorn and doleful than 'Fall's' offerings and sound best when you're curled up with a fireplace and some hot cocoa.

In this 6-song EP Foreman releases his best and worst solo tracks so far. The album starts with an eye-opening song circa Damien Rice's "Cannonball"; "Learning To Die" holds a memorable chorus that strikes a chord that maybe we're not trying to live life to the fullest because we're all busy preparing for death. (This song is also memorable in striking contrast to Foreman's band Switchfoot's track "Learning To Breathe", which he also penned.) The album moves to a couple of songs more romantic than expected from Foreman ("I Am Still Running", "Behind Your Eyes") holding the same downbeat tempo that 'Fall' had, with a guitar and some hand claps/foot stomps keeping the feel of an intimate album, like you're there in his living room as he tries to explain love.

'Winter' also holds Foreman's most worshipful song to date (on his solo projects). "White As Snow" witnesses Foreman asking for a new, clean heart that is "white as snow". "In Love", another worship song, has some new sounds from Foreman, seeming very oriental in sound with him chanting the lyrics more than singing, and consequently becoming the worst song out of his two solo efforts.

The shining star of the album is "Somebody's Baby" which Foreman admittedly penned after witnessing a homeless woman brushing her teeth one night while he was out walking. In a story-telling song, with a guitar and violin accompaniment, "Somebody's Baby" tells the haunting story of a homeless woman who was lost in life and used all her hope to brush her teeth. It's perhaps Foreman's most moving song to date as he sings "She's somebody's baby girl, and she's somebody's baby still."

The songs are mostly just Foreman and his guitar (he was awarded the Les Paul Horizon Award in 2001); with a very honest and earthly sound Jon Foreman reinvents the term 'acoustic'. He's not afraid of missing notes and singing outside his range. It's refreshing to hear and refreshing to see musicians come out with songs about more than their latest break-up or how much they hate being celebrities. ties.