Now and again a songwriter appears, as if out of nowhere, and reminds you just how far and deep a good song can go. Tanya Savory is that kind of songwriter. In truth, she hasn"t really been a secret. Town to Town, her 1998 independently released debut (subsequently picked up for wider distribution by Rounder), is the work of a mature artist in full command of timeless folk melodies, images worthy of classic country song craft, and knowingly detailed narratives that suggest the fiction of Bobbie Anne Mason and Eudora Welty. That may sound like overstatement, but Savory"s visions--of small-town struggles, intricate relationships, and the beautiful and fearful power of nature--are rendered with a wise, observant eye and sung with an unaffected, clear voice. The sweet acoustic settings, provided by accomplished bluegrass and country musicians such as Wanda Vick and Nancy Given Gardner, are set tastefully around (but never over) Savory"s stories. These songs will raise your hopes, test your heart, and lead you through landscapes you won"t soon forget. --Roy Kasten