North Carolina's Sarah Shook sings with a conviction and hard honesty sorely missing in much of today's Americana landscape. Rowdy punk rock insolence to the right, a bottle in a bag; organic three chords and the truth frankness to the left. Always passionate, at times profane, Sarah stalks/walks the line between vulnerable and menacing, her voice strong and uneasy, country classic but with contemporary, earthy tension. Writing with blunt urgency - so refreshing these days it's almost startling - Sarah's lyrics are in turn smart, funny, mean, and above all, uncompromising. Sly turns of phrase so spot on they feel as true as a hymn.