On a Mission
This fiery young trio's big trump card is foxy lead singer Heidi Newfield, who growls, rasps, and vamps in the hard-rockin' country tradition of half-forgotten divas likeLacy J. Daltonand Paulette Carlson ofHighway 101. On their sophomore album, Newfield and the boys--former Nashville sidemen Keith Burns and Ira Dean--are masterfully, if a little too resolutely, devoted to the hard-slammin', party-all-the-time paradigm. Yet they ease into convincing soulfulness on ballads like "Rain," "Love Be Still," and "Leavin' Seems to Be the Goin' Thing." Newfield really struts her vocal prowess and ably holds her own as she duets with guestWillie Nelsonon a loud and rowdy reprise of Nelson's "Whiskey River."--Bob Allen