Trisha Yearwood

My copy of Jasper County, Trisha Yearwood's latest, has arrived at last. It's something of an event, considering she is without doubt the best vocalist working in Country music (or any other kind, really) at the moment. But then, events ain't what they used to be.

It's easy to forget that Ms Yearwood has released a few duff albums in her career, so quality is not necessarily guaranteed. This document bears all the currently fashionable "back to her roots" hallmarks, from the album title (named for the Georgia county she was raised in), and the artwork (including her birth certificate, er, thanks), and, of course, the sounds.

The 'A' team are all here. Garth Fundis produces; Bob Ludwig masters; strings are by the Nashville String Machine; songwriters credited include Craig Wiseman, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Angelo, and Jessi Alexander; musicians credited are among the cream of the crop: Dan Dugmore, Bryan Sutton, Michael Rhodes.

None of which matters if Ms Yearwood doesn't deliver the goods, and she is of course in fine voice, giving her usual 100% commitment to the material, some of which is clearly written especially for Yearwood to sing. people often make the mistake of disrespecting artists who don't write their own stuff. Like Sinatra, Yearwood is a classic song interpreter, and to have one of yours recorded by her is high honour indeed.

First highlight, for me, is the Beth Nielsen Chapman/Bill Lloyd song "Trying to Love You", which is the low-key third track after the blistering openers. There's some lovely mandolin playing from Aubrey Haynie.

Ms Yearwood's vocal control is always wonderful, and there's a great example of it at the very end of the fifth track, "Baby Don't You Let Go," which is an upbeat, mostly acoustic, number (leg slaps and all). As she approaches the climax, repeating the "Baby, don't you let go" refrain, the final "go" is held as the musicians close it off, and then she extends the "go..." into a long (but not too long), bluesy, "oooh" which rings out into the silence and makes your skin tingle.

New husband Garth Brooks makes a harmony vocal appearance on "Georgia Rain," which was the first single and is probably the one I like the least. If there's any song that makes you think of their long-term friendship-turned-marriage, it's the track "Try Me," towards the end, which has a nice anthemic feel: "Maybe I could undo all the hurt you've been through / Try me, try me, try me." Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn guest vocals, but you know who she's talkin' about. "A lifetime of loneliness, what does that prove?"

Indeed. Fantastic record. 11 tracks, 38 minutes: perfect.