Mare Wakefield’s voice comes rolling out of the speakers in a soothing wave on her new album Take Me Home. Though there’s a definite twangy vibe, Wakefield’s music is an anodyne to the ear-pain produced by most New Country artists; her songs are warm and rich, without a hint of the jangly Shania sound so often flooding the airwaves these days.

Like any country artist worth her salt-of-the-earth, Wakefield is a compelling story-teller. She sings about lost love, found love, and that old country standby, the tragic “pickup truck that drove off a cliff” tale. What is it about fiddles and suicide songs that mesh so well? Dave Matthews should take note. Along with the fiddle, Wakefield’s band backs her with piano, bass, banjo, a dobro, and what the liner notes charmingly if cryptically refer to as “road noises.”

Take Me Home is slickly produced, leaving a slight pop aftertaste that isn’t necessary for this artist. Though the musicians backing her are talented, I’d like to hear Wakefield’s voice stripped of the surrounding gloss, sitting rough in a room with a guitar. Still, the album is well worth picking up – a sensual, vibrant work that knows its strengths but doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Favorite Track: Track 7, “Love vs. the USA”