Cowboy Crush

This all-female country group — first a quintet, now a trio — is probably best known for their spunky 2005 single “Nobody Ever Died of a Broken Heart.” That tune captures the band’s rollicking side, further evidenced on this album by tracks like “Cowboy Crush,” “Wanted Woman,” and “Miss Difficult” (the latter a hellacious number about a tomboy who “comes down hard like a ball peen hammer”). Singer Trenna Barnes projects a Jo Dee Messina-like feistiness, with fiddler Renae Truex and bassist Debbie Johnson providing spirited support. Beyond serving up party tunes, Cowboy Crush shows an ability to capture the lives of ordinary Americans with sensitivity and insight. “Tougher Than a Man” (an unvarnished look at a single woman’s struggles) and “He’s Coming Home” (an account of a young soldier and his family) are particularly memorable.