On this taut, intimate collection, Lynne whittles her songs down to their essence, with spare arrangements in which she plays all the instruments in a home studio, and straightforward language that brooks few compromises. The lead title track sets the tone, pinning down religion with withering sarcasm. (Two examples: “Nothin’ left to do but pray/ with your head in the sand,” and “One Hail Mary does the trick/ to give up all your sins.”) Lynne follows that up with “I’ll Hold Your Head,” at once the album’s catchiest and most poignant tune, as a young Shelby provides comfort to her younger sis while her parents brawl — a song inevitably bound up with the real-life incident of Shelby’s father murdering her mother and then committing suicide before her eyes.

Obviously, this isn’t an upbeat album. “The Thief” and “Toss It All Away” are bleak, desperate narratives of busted relationships, and Lynne herself seems to get exasperated by her constant dolor on “Woebegone,” which starts with a country holler and continues with some dirty electric guitar. By contrast, “Lead My Love” has a slight doo-wop vocal feel; its evocation of a more innocent era is furthered by Lynne, who becomes… read more »