Nashville country singer Lilly Hiatt—who, I only just realized, is the daughter of singer/songwriter John Hiatt—released one of my favorite records of 2017 with Trinity Lane. The majority of the album grapples with loss, sobriety, and the pain that often comes with self-reflection, but it’s driven by hope. “Gonna hang on a little bit longer,” she sings on the title track, “Sleep well, work a little harder/Put my faith in something I can’t see.” Rock ’n’ rollers of yore appear on several songs, from scorcher “The Night David Bowie Died” to “Imposter” (a song about her dad) to standout track “Records”: “I put the needle down, hey Mr. Young/You know our work is never done.” Between locomotive rhythms, electrifying guitar solos, confessional lyrics, and Hiatt’s gritty, powerful drawl, the frayed beauty of Trinity Lane deconstructs the foundations of traditional country music and builds something refreshingly new.

CIARA DOLAN