Amy Speace and the Tearjerkers: Songs For Bright Street (Wildflower/Elite)

Here is another album (like that by the wonderful Jimmy Norman, see tag) which has appeared long after its US release: this from singer-songwriter Speace came out mid-06. No matter, this alt.country/folk/Americana collection confirms why she has been a critics' favourite everywhere from Nashville to New York folk clubs.

Speace has a classic contemporary country voice and she has obviously learned from the best (Lucinda Williams, Shelby Lynne, Neko Case etc) without consciously adopting their voices as so many have done, to their cost.

Speace delivers a nice line in nasty (Not the Heartless Kind), of finding love in unexpected places (Double Wide Trailer), of the ache and discomforts in seeing a former lover while still being happy where you are (Home) and how "love lands in rooms you never thought were still open".

A refined lyricist with a tight band (and discreetly-placed guests), Amy Speace is more than just another female singer-songwriter with heartaches to sing about.

She has a powerful voice to carry the drama, and is a link between ballsy Nashville pop-country (The Real Thing) and Bleeker Street.