Suzy Bogguss

Of the long list of Nashville women, only a few stand out for technically pristine voices, and Suzy Bogguss, with her wonderfully clear contralto and pinpoint intonation, is near the top of the list. Yet in her many years of recording, she's never quite achieved the breakthrough that an early Country Music Association Award promised. Suzy Bogguss, which cruises down the middle of the radio-friendly road, is a good example of why this is so. While Bogguss writes and performs tasteful material that scores high points for integrity and beauty--check out the wistful ballad "An Empty Heart and a Harvest Moon," cowritten by her husband, Doug Crider--she doesn't always infuse her performances with the emotion necessary to involve the listener. That said, this low-key program--much of it about new beginnings and the self-reliance necessary to start over--has its moments. But a good dose of spirited Western swing might have done wonders. --Alanna Nash