The trappings have vanished. The sensuous voice remains.

If you've heard Maggie Drennon in the past, perhaps as part of Ceili's Muse, SixMileBridge or the Maggie Drennon Band, you might be expecting her new CD Just Now to follow in a similar vein. But the rocking bagpipes, the blazing fiddle, the electric guitar, bass and drums -- they're mostly absent here. Just Now is just Maggie, with a rich, soprano voice that stands alone quite well.

That's not to suggest that Drennon sings solely a cappella on this recording. But the instrumentation -- a bit of guitar here, a muted bodhran there -- is subtle, never rising beyond the foundation of Drennon's sound.

What remains is a pure and lovely singing voice with undeniable emotional resonance and an evident joy in the simple act of singing. She is in turn wistful and joyful. Drennon's vocals weep when appropriate and rise strongly when a martial flair is needed.

The album begins with a forceful rendition of the sorrowful "Annachie Gordon," followed by Robert Burns' "My Love is Like a Red Red Rose," which Drennon belts out with all the power that true love can muster. Further tracks are a mix of traditional and cover pieces: "Jacket Green," "Coshieville," "Roisin Dubh," "Parcel o' Rogues," "Bright Blue Rose" and "Lovely Molly." The biggest production here is the final track, the inspirational "What You Do with What You've Got" by Si Khan, which bears frequent repeating.

Just Now is Drennon's first release since her self-titled album in 2002. My only complaints are the years between recordings and the brevity of this one; it clocks in at just under 30 minutes. Let's hope there is more on the horizon, because this voice should not be silent.