Ashes and Roses Zoe Records****

The veneer of pianist Matt Rollings's tasteful, note-perfect production serves as a stark contrast to the raw emotion of these painful and, for the most part, compelling songs. The last five years have been tough on 54-year-old Carpenter. Her father died, her marriage broke up and she suffered another bout of depression. Yet her refusal to bow to the weight of her burden is a light of sorts. These songs are postcards from the edge. No easy answers, no glib refrains. Songs such as Chasing What's Already Gone, What to Keep and What to Throw Away and New Year's Day attempt to make sense of the past and seek a way forward. Mary Chapin Carpenter is in many ways the archetypal middle aged, middle class, liberal American voice, but this album challenges the listener with a darker narrative. marychapincarpenter.com

Download tracks:Chasing What's Already Gone, New Year's Day