Sweet Talk & Good Lies
A critics' darling before alt-country existed, Heather Myles released herdebut albumin 1992, and in the 10 years since, she's cemented her place as the West Coast's distaffDwight Yoakam, down to the posed photos and ripped jeans. She records with his sidemen and, on this album, duets with the man himself. Her talents, however, stand on their own. The catch in her throaty voice, as subtle as a neon sign, infuses each number (all but two here are originals) with passion and immediacy, be it a glib throwaway like "Big Cars" or the acerbic "Nashville's Gone Hollywood." Myles, always framed by rock-ribbed twang, avoids pretense, yet "The Love You Left Behind" deftly exposes her softer, more nuanced side. Her inspired covers ofGlen Campbell's hit "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" andJulie London's 1950s torch song "Cry Me a River" only underscore her passion for excellence. Sadly, she has yet to find a broader audience and this, her finest effort to date, only drives home that injustice.--Rich Kienzle