Sarah JaroszWorld on the Ground

Character sketches drawn from her tiny Texas hometown of Wimberley, almost novelistic in feel. "Hometown" rides a restless acoustic pulse that mirrors the itch to leave a small place, while "Eve" simmers with low, smoldering tension. John Leventhal's production keeps it spare and warm, every guitar line breathing around her clear, easy voice. It reads small-town lives without ever raising its voice. Won the Grammy for Best Americana Album, and earns it. Settle in and listen close.