This is the CD that made me a Patty Griffin fan. None of her other releases have surpassed this album, and I wish she would make another one like it. Not that her other records are bad (I love them all); it's just that what she has done after FLAMING RED is in the more ordinary realm of singer/songwriter, folkie stuff, and as much as I'm into that fairly broad category, I wish other artists would take a cue from this production: it's okay to experiment, and ROCK some, guys -- you won't necessarily lose your folk credentials (unless you rock badly). There is not one dud on this set, but there are some standouts: "Tony" is a heartbreaking account of a suicide that will get under your skin if you've ever been picked on at school for being a sissy, and the blistering instrumental arrangement mirrors Griffin's verbal outrage. "Carry Me" has an infectious groove, and even the ballads have a pulse that can turn a downer into an upper. "Go Now" and "Goodbye" are simply gorgeous. Throughout, Patty's expressive voice, by turns breathy and soft or piercing and loud, is perfectly controlled and always on pitch. This is not a performer who thinks it is necessary to decorate every note and bend every phrase in order to convince us that she can sing. We get that, and she respects our intelligence. Thoughtful lyrics, simple melodies, electrifying arrangements, and glorious vocals make this, from start to finish, a deeply satisfying album.