East Coast cowgirl Lola Kirke knows exactly how to find the balance between tears and two-stepping. In her latest LP Trailblazer, the musician/actress/author’s penchant for storytelling shines through her quick wits and vivid details as she croons us through complex relationships and unconventional living. Pedal steel flatters the 34-year-old’s resonant rock & roll melodies and spotlights her lush vocals. The project’s jaunty rhythms (“Marlboro Lights & Madonna”) complement its tender ballad counterparts (“Hungover Thinkin’”) and accentuate their two-toned minimalism. Though the daughter of Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke, it’s evident that Lola paved her own twangy path and solidified her spot as a string-slinging siren. – Miranda Garza