MERRITT, TIFT

Following in the footsteps of alt-country icons Shelby Lynne, Allison Moorer, and Maria McKee, Tift Merritt gilds her sophomore effort, TAMBOURINE, with country-inflected soul, a stylistic crossroads where Nashville and Muscle Shoals meet. Teaming up with Black Crowes/Jayhawks producer George Drakoulias, Merritt doles out healthy servings of roots-rock that include the chugging "Your Love Made a U-Turn" (with its bubbling bass and chirping harmonies), the jangly "Stray Paper," and the organ-smothered "Wait It Out."

Blessed with a voice reminiscent of a breathier Dusty Springfield, the native Texan has earned plenty of praise from her peers, resulting in a few noteworthy guests popping up on this outing. Pedal-steel virtuoso Robert Randolph checks in on the rollicking "I Am Your Tambourine," while McKee and Jayhawk Gary Louris harmonize on the twangy "Late Night Pilgrim" and the bittersweet "Write My Ticket." But make no mistake, Merritt's chops allow her to forge her own way. When she tucks her croon amid the Memphis Horns-flavored arrangements of "Good Hearted Man," there's no difficulty discerning the gal's soul pedigree. With TAMBOURINE, Tift Merritt takes another step towards gaining a foothold in the world of insurgent country.

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