A Woman Needs

Better known as one half of the Wreckers, Jessica Harp’s debut solo album may also be her final one. Following the release of A Woman Needs, the Nashville tunesmith announced her choice to eschew performing for songwriting, and from the get-go of the instantly likeable opening title track, it’s obvious that songwriting is Harp’s strength. It’s not that she can’t sing — her crystalline voice is so awesome that at times she sounds like a long lost Dixie Chick. But her knack for narratives, razor-barbed melodies, and soaring upbeat affirmations all combine magically to make for the kinds of unforgettable tunes gracing A Woman Needs. “Boy Like Me” leans on clever wordplay and a flirty tomboy tone that saunters around Americana rock with spirited harmonies. And speaking of harmonies, Vince Gill lends his to “Homemade Love,” a sweet little sing-along number. If twangy ballads are your thing, “Letting Go” is one powerhouse of a serenade that celebrates the emotional strength that can only be acquired from moving on. Song for song, A Woman Needs is a strong album.