CARRIE RODRIGUEZ

A classically trained violinist, Carrie Rodriguez possesses firm command over another instrument: a sultry, Texas-cured soprano voice. Her engaging vocal style is best served without garish musical adornments or modern studio tricks, and on her fifth album, she smartly plays to her strengths, laying out a generous spread of mostly quiet acoustic songs. The simple restraint exercised by Rodriguez and producer Lee Townsend allows the singing to remain front and center. Rodriguez, who had a hand in writing eight of the 11 tracks, deftly handles the playful exuberance of “Devil in Mind” and the flirty humor of “Lake Harriet.” Once cast as a sweet, retro-voiced ingénue, she’s grown into a well-rounded performer who knows how a powerful song can exorcise demons. She sings with toughness and grit on “Cut Me Now,” a Chip Taylor song that tells of romantic hassles and unraveling dreams. When Rodriguez gets her hooks into songs with such challenging emotions, she reaches new heights. –Blake Boldt