Homegrown

Malone has been through the proverbial music industry mill, having moved from one label to the next, and has endured the misfortune of having her fine material overlooked by the mainstream. That might break a lesser artist, but it seems to have only fueled Malone's focus on making music that's both credible and commercial. One only needs to delve several cuts into "Homegrown" before concluding that this set is infinitely better than much of the female-driven rock currently being embraced by the masses. "Avalon" is a rollicking rocker, replete with tasty guitar licks and an anthemic, radio-ready chorus, while "Strength For Two" (which features Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls on guitar and harmony) is the kind of delicate, endearing acoustic ballad that triple-A programmers need to acknowledge. In all, a fine effort from an artist who deserves to be a big, big star.