The Speed of Grace (1994)

Matraca Berg is best known as a songwriter to the stars (Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless), but that's selling her mighty short. This sophomore effort finds Berg cutting her country ties (except for a spacey cover of Dolly Parton's ''Jolene''), leaning instead toward moody, soft-rock grooves. Although this outing doesn't match the emotional assault of her 1990 debut, Lying to the Moon, Berg still exhibits understated passion in a voice that can whisper and whoop with equal conviction.