Things To Come (Sighlow, 1999)

It is Anna Fermin's inviting vocals that first draw you in. Impressively projecting power and intimacy, the Philippine-born, Chicago-based Fermin sings in a warm, rich style that exudes a soulful, rootsy charm. She can pull off a traditional, Patsy Cline-type country torch tune "Run With You" and effortlessly follow it with the robust "Do Or Die," where she sounds a bit like Cheri Knight.

Her three-piece band Trigger Gospel (talented ex-Riptones' guitarist Andon Davis, bassist Michael Krayniak and drummer Paul Bivans) adeptly supports Fermin's songs - whether it's the jangly country rock of "Fate," the Mexican flavored "San Carlos" or the softer "Hoping For You." The album also benefits from Lloyd Maines' production touches - his use of Joel Guzman's button accordion, John Rice's fiddle and banjo work, and his own pedal steel playing subtly fill out the band's sound.

Building upon their earlier EP, the group's confident first full length serves as a harbinger that there should be good "things to come" from Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel. (P.O. Box 577795, Chicago, IL 60657-7795)