Country gospel at its most fervent and rousing.

If you’ve ever bemoaned the absence of traditional country sounds in an era of pop, rock and even hip-hop production, be still—Ashley Monroe is throwing you a country music lifeline.

A staggeringly great collection of original tunes that paint vivid, honest portraits of real life, from a uniquely feminine perspective.

Each track evokes an emotion, a giggle, a tear or a memory, but always a hunger for what’s next.

In every aspect, from production to instrumentation and Wynonna’s sensational performances, this ranks as her absolute best solo effort.

This is a masterful album, replete with wonderful stories and fully drawn characters.

It may not be all pretty, but Something More Than Free is as real as it gets.

ZBB has never sounded as energized or as fierce.

The River & The Thread will require multiple listens to truly appreciate, so set aside some time to soak in this one.

On this album, she has found what works best for her on the contemporary side and front-loads the project with those songs.

The trio’s second album, Annie Up, (thankfully) picks up where their debut, Hell on Heels, left off, offering more engaging studies of real-life heartbreak, domestic inertia and the daily trials of womanhood.

Although the title is also an album track referring to hair color, the depth of this project goes further than Miranda’s roots.

The Blade further serves to position her as one of the premiere and rare female neo-traditionalists in the format.

Though he's capable of being playfully satisfied, Dwight is at his best when he's consumed by yearning.

His best is pretty dang good.

This is a nicely balanced album that you could listen to repeatedly and still discover fresh, exciting touches with each new listen.

This set proves that good storytelling never goes out of style.

Full Circle stands as a wonderful and welcome piece of work, 14 solid songs that shift easily from Appalachian mountain soul to pure country and even spiritual fare. Plus, Loretta has simply never sounded better.

With a range of topics that cover bullying (“Kill a Word”) and women running afoul of the law (“Chattanooga Lucy”), there’s plenty to indulge in without coming away bored or feeling like you’ve heard it all before.

The album's bluesy country sound may not make waves at radio, but these ladies are on track to give country concertgoers a little hell of their own.

In honoring his friend and inspiration, the late writer Hank Cochran, Jamey Johnson recorded one of the most heartfelt albums of the year.

This is no less than the story of a flawed man finding his own greatness--the primary factor behind the power and substance of these simple, no-frills performances, as well as the reason why any serious fan of Cash or country music history will want to walk the line it so compellingly traces.

A collection that plays into the group’s rock sensibilities without any loss of identity.

With due respect to her previous fine efforts, Four the Record is easily Miranda's best album yet.

Both the chestnuts and The Band selections here sound best in their original versions (partly due to the diminished power of Levon's voice after his bout with throat cancer). But his singing brims with spirit, and he and his cohorts deliver these mostly vintage tunes with gusto.

Brad Paisley, having been raised on traditional country music, is one of a handful of contemporary stars who could title an album This Is Country Music (with all that the title implies) without raising more than a few eyebrows.

With The Woman I Am, Kellie has made a natural evolution while managing to stay true to those things that are important to her.

Fans of Matraca's songwriting, who have waited for more than a decade for a new album, will likely agree with another of that song's lyric lines: one more is never enough.