Hannah Aldridge: Razor Wire

The roles normally played by women in country music are hardly cause for feminist joy. Hannah Aldridge may not change this, but her debut album marks her out as an independent spirit. "I would never ride a motorcycle, but you know she would," Aldridge says of the sleeve shot of her as a leather-clad blonde. Yet these impressive 11 tracks bristle with life experience, rock'n'roll attitude and country solace – what she calls "dark Americana". Raised in the music hub of Muscle Shoals, Alabama (her father Walt is a local music legend), Aldridge sings and writes with real purpose and intensity. Her voice is rich, assertive and smouldering as and when required. The slow-burning Lie Like You Love Me contrasts with the rockier You Ain't Worth the Fight and the taut title track, while Lonesome takes on the subject of parental divorce. It's early days, but Aldridge is definitely worth noting. hannah-aldridge.com

Download: You Ain't Worth the Fight, Lie Like You Love Me