Patty Griffin's powerful second album combines the incisive songwriting of her acoustic debut "Living with Ghosts" with a rock sensibility. Griffin's decision to record with a band gives her a wider pallette, from gritty rockers like "Flaming Red" and the infectious "Wiggley Fingers" to sheer pop bliss in "Blue Sky" and "One Big Love." Griffin's throaty alto shines passionately in "Tony," and drops to a sympathetic whisper on "Christina," an ode to Christina Onassis. Fans of "Ghosts" may be surprised by "Red," but the new album only reinforces Griffin's stellar talent as a songwriter.
-- Beth Winegarner

This article was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle.