One would think that the world needs another female singer-songwriter like it needs a hole in its head. In recent years, there’s been an outpouring of lovely looking ladies, who draw comparisons to Joni Mitchell and have a story about finding a family member’s acoustic guitar in the house where they grew up. Naturally, it changes their lives and the soundtrack to Dawson’s Creek beckons.

But once in a blue moon, amid all of the drudgery that comes with this so-called estrogen rock, somebody comes along to show us how slim our pickings really are in terms of finding a thoughtful, innovative and accomplished female singer-songwriter. That someone is Irish songstress Gemma Hayes, whose debut LP, Night On My Side, raises the mantle for all similar records that follow, and places her in the company of trailblazer Beth Orton.

Produced by Dave Freidman (Home, Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips) and mixed by Mark “Spike” Stent (U2, Oasis, PJ Harvey), Night On My Side is achingly beautiful, subtly adventurous and astoundingly mature. Over the course of 12 love songs of both discovery and loss, Hayes avoids, or perhaps sidesteps the monotony found on, say, Dido records with incredible lyrics and washes of psychedelia. “Today I ran for all that was mine/Just to see what I was made of,” she sings on “Ran For Miles,” over discreet sonic touches in the background supplied by Freidman. She doesn’t go for the dramatic like Tori Amos or set out to preach like Alanis; she simply sings the words and let’s you make them your own. This simplicity is her greatest strength.

Elsewhere, the album’s catchiest track may be its most representative. At first, “Let A Good Thing Go” is a lament of lost love, but then a sea of My Bloody Valentine-esque distortion kicks in and takes it both emotionally and sonically to soaring levels. Cue the goose bumps and this song may be the closest soundtrack we have to getting over a broken heart.

Arguably, the three best songs close Night On My Side, with the overtly psychedelic “Lucky One (Bird Of Cassadaga),” the vulnerable confessional “My God,” and the Americana pick-you-up of the title track. But as good as these tracks are, you really can’t go wrong with Hayes.

Night On My Side is essential listening and can accompany Beck’s Sea Change and Ryan Adams’ Heartbreaker as albums that’ll keep you warm during those lonely, unbearable nights.