Imagine a combination of folk, blues and alternative styles that resemble a more mainstream Norah Jones and you come up with Sarah McLachlan's masterful “Afterglow.” For the most part, this CD is soothing and mellow, more tempered than previous releases, but it is far from being background music. In fact, it is her best album so far.

The disk kicks off with the hit “Fallen,” easily one of the best songs here, and I found myself returning to it again and again. The only song that beats it is the next track, “World on Fire,” which laments the chaos of the world in a calm, slightly bluesy piece that, for me at least, evokes images of a smoky nightclub.

“Stupid” is the most rock-infused song, moving away from the quiet meditative style as McLachlan ponders a love gone wrong. Closing out the CD is the beautiful “Dirty Little Secret,” a soft, sad song that lays bare the painful results of gossip.

This is McLachlan's best album and showcases her maturity as an artist. It took her five years to get it right, and it was definitely worth the wait.