Natalie Hemby has made a career writing music for other artists: Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack, Kelly Clarkson, Kacey Musgraves and plenty more. Her first album, Puxico, disappeared relatively quickly in 2017. I don't think this one will.

Natalie Hemby Pins and Needles (Fantasy Records)

Hemby's voice is strong, but still a bit practiced. Makes sense for someone who puts so much craft into her songs. The sound here is something of a punchier version of Daniel Lanois's work with Emmylou Harris. It's not as shiny as current country music, but it carries all of the rock and roll heft.

The characters in these songs are neither heroic or pathetic. They're just people making their way. While Hemby certainly knows how to craft a monster hit, she keeps her work on this album on the human level. That approachability is a big part of this album's appeal.

Folks in the craft beer community often comment on the fact that the big outfits (Miller, Coors, etc.) have the best brewers and best facilities and could make the best beer in the world--if that's what they want to do. Hemby has been one of the leading country songwriters for years. Now she's applied those talents to herself, and by stripping down the sound just a bit she has found just the right space to put her voice. A most intriguing album.

Jon Worley