The White Album (Rustic, 2000)

Tammy Patrick's first solo effort is a mixed bag of lovely silken vocals and lyrics that run from simply poignant to simply unremarkable. The native of White, South Dakota (the small farming town in the album's title), relocated to Phoenix, and the musicians' credits represent a cross sample of that town's local talent.The record, according to the liner notes, was inspired by Patrick's trip back to White for her grandfather's funeral. The collection begins with a cloying spoken-word track about the praries that could well turn the listener off, but the rest is worth hearing.

"Coming Home," the first song, is chock-full of recycled small-town images, but has a catchy melody and chorus. "Shovel Birds," lyrically the most interesting number, gives a whimsical description of lawn ornaments that include "marigolds in toilet bowls."

"Crashing Down on Me," a straightforward tale of desolation with a good sad fiddle whine to accompany it, is one of the best tracks. Also noteworthy is Patrick's cover of "Blue Again," which highlights her vulnerable vocals slipping easily from high to low. Patrick does a bluegrassy rendition of "This Old House," and sings Daly's "1968"; the rest of the tunes she wrote herself or cowrote. (Rustic, P.O. Box 15225, Phoenix, AZ 85060)