MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: SHELBY LYNNE - I CAN'T IMAGINE

Lynne has certainly found her style, and has been perfecting out over the course of her last handful of albums.  She's passed through the Dusty In Memphis phase, keeping the vocal strength she exhibited then, and has made her songwriting even stronger.  Always steeped in southern humidity, and always saturated with sadness, her storytelling is vivid and filled with snapshot details.  And of course, she has one of the most soulful voices going, heart-crushing if you're not careful.

Back Door Front Porch is just that kind of tune, where she offers up glimpses of her surroundings and feelings.  Blacktop highways, dew drips off the mailbox, been making memories in the wrong place.  She knows where she needs to be, and let's us picture it too:  "Back door, front porch, window."  When she does get brighter, like on Sold The Devil, her voice in a good mood is a soaring wonder, a blast of clearing sun after a downpour. 

It's all elemental truths in her lyrics.  There's the strongest of love, rain and lightning, a tangible knowledge of God, big church steeples that pierce the sunset, waterfalls of laughter.  The songs are arranged with fine drama as well, building moments that let Lynne loose with her pipes.  Fans will be intrigued by the two co-writes with Ron Sexsmith here as well, an inspired pairing.  The best southern music has always had a little of everything, including country, soul, rock and folk.  Lynne brings all that, plus great stories and a tremendous voice, and this is one of her very best albums.