Conventional wisdom dictates that an artist must be damn good and constantly touring -- with critical acclaim -- to get signed. But the CW doesn't always work in the real music biz, so we get stuck with Britney Spears and "American Idol" pap flowing over the airwaves instead of the likes of Jennifer Daniels. Sure, Brittany and Idol-pap are easy targets, but it serves the point well: If you're in need of an antidote to all things Britney-like, Daniels' latest effort Summer Filled Sky is like taking 12 doses of sanity in a world gone wrong.

Daniels is everything Britney isn't: namely, talented and pretty. But here's the real reason Daniels will never fly in today's Clear Channel climate: She's deep. She sings about things like birth, life, family, the nature of love, work and death, etc.

In the word of Keanu Reeves, "Whoa."

Summer Filled Sky is the third and most fully realized release from this independent Southern spirit. Some of the songs -- like "Day to Live" and "Water Spider" -- have appeared on previous releases, her two full-lengths Dive and Fly and Fists of Flood, respectively. Anyone who has followed Daniels' career gets the feeling that with Summer Filled Sky she's taking a bigger leap forward than she ever has before. The production smacks of being an overt stab at radio-readiness, but the end result is that your radio should be so lucky.

Jennifer Daniels' CD release party for Summer Filled Sky is Fri., June 25, at Eddie's Attic; two shows, 7 and 9:30 p.m. $12.