Losing Faith

While the religious imagery of Losing Faith's title cut may seem a bit heavy for a country song, Audrey Auld's incisive lyrics cut a bit deeper than the average Nashville ballad. When the singer compares placing one's faith in a love interest with placing one's faith in Christ ("And feed me drops of water/And tell me it was wine"), it adds a new twist to relationship dependency. While this all may sound awfully serious, Auld wraps her lyrics in an energetic musical package that never forgets to entertain. There are also good-time songs like "Doin' Well," complete with old-time fiddle and the delicious line, "I say yeah, you can go to hell/I'm staying here, I'm doing well." As with her previous album, Auld, who hails from Australia, seems to know more about traditional country than post-'90s Nashville. There's still room in her musical vision for steel, dobro, and mandolin, and she even includes an old-fashioned duet with Fred Eaglesmith on "B-Grade Affair." Auld marries this love of country roots to a modern sensibility, writing smart songs that have something to say about life and relationships in 2003. Losing Faith ends pleasantly with "Harmony," a quiet duet with Kieran Kane, bringing a stimulating album to a satisfying conclusion. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi