Alannah
For starters, theLed Zeppelin III/misty mountain acoustic rock that dominates Myles's third album is a vast improvement over the lush overkill of 1993'sRockinghorse. Secondly, blues-based tunes like "Family Secret" and "Dark Side of Me" will work as rugged, long-overdue "Black Velvet" sequels. Third, she finds a voice for the ol' softie within on fantasias like "Irish Rain" and "Do You Really Want to Know Me."  Fourth, she isn't afraid to get adventurous ("Lightning in a Bottle") or risk looking like a prat ("Mistress of Erzulie").--Jeff Bateman