Mary Cutrufello - When The Night Is Through (1998)

Though she has been compared to Springsteen and Mellencamp, what shines through on the debut recording of this Texas rocker is a passionate approach to music and a straight-ahead guitar attack. All the songs here, even the fairly sedate lament "Tired at Thirty," exude a gritty immediacy. Standouts include the rollicking "Sweet Promise of Love" and deceptively optimistic "Sunny Day," where the singer proclaims "Ain't it good to be alive on a sunny day/Only way I can face this pain." There's food for thought here, so bring an appetite.