I'm rather picky about country music. As any sane person should, I despise the shiny banality of the "new country" hawked by Garth Brooks and Faith Hill, but I also have a hard time with some old stalwarts. No one has been able to sign me up for the Merle Haggard fan club, and I tend to pass up the critically revered Uncle Tupelo in favor of Jeff Tweedy's more recent pop-fortified efforts with Wilco. Country music holds my attention when it contains supremely socially deviant themes or some evidence of punk rock consciousness.

On the surface, Tift Merritt might not seem to fall into any of my categories. She sings sweetly and delicately while treading on traditional county paths--covering Appalachian classics like "Virginia, No One Can Warn You" and filling up her debut record, Bramble Rose (Lost Highway), with lovelorn songs about wayward boys and unrealized dreams. But either my horizons are finally broadening, or Merritt is a potentially enormous talent.

For starters, she's performing a rather remarkable balancing act. Her voice is a sweet-but-never-saccharine blend of vintage Patsy Cline and a less radio-friendly Sheryl Crow, and although most of her self-penned songs are wistful in tone, there isn't one hint of self-pity: Her ex may be flaunting his flashy new girlfriend, but she simply chalks it up as a lesson learned and moves forward ("Neighborhood"). Even when she's nakedly asking "Are You Still In Love With Me?" at the album's end, she infuses her lonely query with tangible twangs of dignity--a nice subversion of the typical narcissism that many country laments fall into.

There's also the pristine production values of the record and the sheer muscle of musicianship. Recorded collaboratively with producer Ethan Johns, Bramble Rose sounds watertight but warm--all 11 songs were recorded live without any overdubs. Merritt apparently has no qualms about playing her guitar and tracking her vocals simultaneously, a feat that is technically impressive and also gives the finished product a natural intimacy. If she can accomplish this much in a sterile studio environment, she's certain to come across beautifully in a live setting.