Her voice revealing cracks as fine as her white hair, Harris actually sounds better — more open and passionate — on Hard Bargain than she has since starting her career. Speaking of which, her salute to mentor Gram Parsons, ''The Road,'' is lovely nostalgia, and there's a rare flash of fun cornball humor on ''Big Black Dog.'' Her grief over the 2010 death of friend/musician Kate McGarrigle (''Darlin' Kate'') is palpable. Some of the story-songs are drippy, but that voice remains dry. B+
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