Lonesomers
In the filmGeorgia, actress Mare Winningham used her chirping soprano to pull off playing a singer/songwriter, but she's not quite as convincing onLonesomers. The problems are Winningham's voice--technically responsive but not especially expressive--and her lyrics. She writes in precious, quasi-poetic or worse, amateur psychobabble: "The things that were said to you / Resonate more than you want to acknowledge / 'Cause ow, it smarts whenever you're scorched." Bright spots include the title track, which combines dulcimer and her band's simple acoustic bounce, as well as the Joni Mitchellesque solo closing number. There's a likable folk-pop quality here--á la Shawn Colvin or Dar Williams--but not much more.--Roy Kasten