*** Christy McWilson

THE LUCKY ONE

(High Tone)

Until recently, McWilson -- who combines the down-to-earth style of Loretta Lynn with the country-rock instincts of Emmylou Harris -- fronted the Picketts, a rip-snortin' alterna-country outfit from Seattle. They had several well-received albums on Rounder, but despite critical raves, the band never took off. So McWilson steps out on her own here with a solid collection of honky-tonk rockers and poignant ballads that explore the many ways love can go wrong. Things kick off with the ironic title track; when she sings, "Happiness ain't nothin' but a misery to me," you hear hearts breaking all over town. "Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow," a Tejano rocker in the mode of Sir Douglas, benefits from the Augie Meyers-like organ triplets of Dwight Yoakam keyboard player Skip Edwards; McWilson's bluesy wail makes "Weight of the World" and Brian Wilson's " 'Til I Die" sound as hopeless as unanswered prayers. Producer Dave Alvin, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Mike Mills, and other heavies add instrumental muscle and name recognition to the set, but McWilson's songwriting and razor-sharp vocals steal the show.

-- J. Poet