Tammy Cochran
The men who haunt songs like "Better Off Broken," "Say Goodbye," and "Going, Going, Gone" on Ohioan Tammy Cochran's powerful and resolutely country debut album tend to be unfaithful, irresolute whiners and losers. The good news is that again and again Cochran finds thrilling musical inspiration and exhilarating self-empowerment in watching this parade of fools fade to nothingness in her emotional rear-view mirror. Whether on bittersweet fiddle- and steel-adorned ballads like "What I Learned from Loving You," triumphant celebrations of self-discovery like the sassy "So What," or a heartfelt personal memoir like "Angels in Waiting," Cochran consistently displays the wonderfully countrified poise and vocal artistry of a young 21st-centuryTammy Wynette.--Bob Allen