 
Underappreciated Maria McKee returns to early form with her sixth solo CD. On “Peddlin’ Dreams,” she revisits the roots sound that fueled her first two releases some 15 years ago. The new album opens with the acoustic “Season of the Fair,” a stunning number that highlights McKee’s lilting voice, gracefully rolling across her lush lyrics. The line “Will you remember how your stormy face was tangled in my hair?” is vintage McKee. Another highlight is “My One True Love.” The singer’s gentle, slow delivery leaves listeners hanging on to her every word. Throughout her career, McKee has performed predominantly original material, but when she does sing a rare cover, it is reliably good. Here, she offers a wonderful version of Neil Young’s “Barstool Blues.” Like Young, McKee has explored various musical styles. Both, however, shine when playing personal ballads and rich story-based songs. McKee began as the powerhouse frontwoman for Lone Justice, a much-acclaimed alt-country band. The group released only a few recordings, and McKee soon went out on her own. Over time, the Southern California spitfire gravitated to a more serious, ambitious style that was more art house than roadhouse. McKee still sounded good, but the music wasn’t as intimate as before. “Peddlin’ Dreams” luckily finds McKee in the fertile fields of roots music that she knows and performs so well. The sparse production highlights her strong voice and keen songwriting. This is her best album in her years. -- D. Kimura
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Maria McKee