The Trouble with the Truth
Patty Loveless has always had an attractive voice, able to turn pretty melodies into hits, but only in the past few years has she acquired the emotional depth of country's greatest singers. That maturity sets the stage forThe Trouble with the Truth. Her husband, former Emmylou Harris bassist Emory Gordy Jr., is the producer, and he keeps the arrangements lean so his wife's stronger, more open voice has room to maneuver. The couple has selected smart, tuneful songs about troubled adult relationships by Jim Lauderdale, Matraca Berg, Gary Nicholson, and Richard Thompson, and Loveless expertly juggles the mixed feelings that accompany so many broken hearts.--Geoffrey Himes