Life Happened

There's a sadness to Tammy Cochran's music that's hard to put a finger on. Perhaps it's simply in her voice — that delicious Midwestern intonation — or perhaps it's just a direct reflection of the sorrow she's had to overcome in her personal life. Whatever it is, it works with the songs she's chosen for this satisfying sophomore album. "White Lies and Picket Fences," about promising to be together forever and having it go wrong; "I Used to Be That Woman," about a cheating husband; and "If You Can," the first single she ever released about questioning the end of a relationship, all remind listeners about the sometimes gritty realities of existence. Cochran says she tries to keep things real in her music, so she does manage to also give listeners hope in songs like "I'm Getting There," "Life Happened," and "All in How You Look at Things." Cochran's unarguable second effort is a steadfast lesson in determination.