By Any Other Name

A sweet slice of down-home country, the sophomore effort from country firebrand Mary McBride — who's currently featured on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack — runs from the easy rolling groove of "Weathervane" to "Coming Up Empty"'s honky-tonk strut. McBride has a tough, steely voice, perfectly suited to these gutsy tales of heartache and triumph. Even on the mournful "Black-Eyed Strays", McBride's impassioned vocal has an air of dominance and determination that ensures her emotional defeat will be short-lived.