Numbered Doors

*Numbered Doors* reaffirms both Lori McKenna’s literate, unsparingly perceptive lyric gifts and her knack for evocative folk/country melodies. “Rose of Jericho,” “Three Kids No Husband,” and the title track are indicative of her keen eye and compassionate heart. McKenna’s sturdy, slightly pain-wracked vocals render wounded ballads like “The Time I’ve Wasted” and “Stranger in His Kiss” and bruised but hopeful numbers like “Good Marriage” and “Starlight” with conviction born of experience. *Numbered Doors* is a remarkably truthful portrayal of the American heartland that transcends its hard-luck stories through the beauty of its craft.

Songwriter and singer Lori McKenna, with sideman Mark Erelli, has produced a marvellous album of country music, with deft and moving storytelling