Traveling Alone by Tift Merritt
Texas-born Tift Merrit listened to a lot of Joni Mitchell in her youth before moving to North Carolina and starting out as a singer-songwriter. Merritt is a gifted musician and if you like the mix of country rock and balladry that Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris perfected in the 70s, this one’s for you.
Right from the acoustic opening track, ‘Travelling Alone’, to the surge of energy when the band kicks in, this album will get you. Special mention must go to Eric Heywood on pedal and lap steel, and the more contemporary guitar edge provided by Marc Ribot.
Many of these songs celebrate the joys of independence and solitude, as well as the ins and outs of relationships. This is album number five from Merritt and should be the one to really get her noticed.