By the fourth cut, "On the Other Side", with its soaring and searing vocals and sparse instrumentals (including a particularly effective maracas-like rattle (sorry, if that's off; no helpful clues on the liner notes or bio), and a violin that all but reaches into your heart and gives it a not-so-gentle shake and tug followed by a soothing caress. (I know; again with the contradictions). This one especially got to me, thanks to Lynne's impressive range and control: impressive without today's all-too-common "Hey you, look at me! Pretty powerful set of pipes, eh?"

Lynne's been described as roots, blues, rock, with a touch of country, but evidently my definition of country and that of other reviewers is miles apart, because to my ears, it's the other way round: Country with a smidge of rock-roots. You say tomato�If that analogy's too weak to be helpful, picture Nancy Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter with a sprinkle of Melissa Etheridge and a more-ticked off Gretchen Wilson. Ticked off as in, walking into your local honky-tonk and discovering the town floozie is not only wearing the very same pair of ass-kicking boots you're wearing, but she also paid wholesale. You know, edgy without actually drawing weapons.