Leaving behind her longtime band -- in name, at least; a fair number of the members show up here, including her drummer/husband -- also leaves country in the dust on her second solo album, . Teaming with Los Angeles-based producer -- he's best known for heavier stuff like (he even brought in to sing some backup vocals here) but also has done work with progressive bluegrass band dives headfirst into pure pop with , creating a gleaming confection that, at its best, could be mistaken for late-'80s AOR. Such submersion in gloss is bound to alienate fans who've long favored her Americana authenticity but bears the same considered construction as her four albums with ; the surface just happens to sparkle. At first, that sheen seems blinding: the neo-new wave synths grin along with glam stomps and disco allusions, guitars play to the rafters but are still overshadowed by vocal hooks halfway between and or perhaps informed by the urgent revivalism of or even memories of early . isn't posturing here. She's embraced every cliche that comes with this retro album rock and that enthusiasm certainly gives panache -- she's every bit as passionate here as she was on the rawer -- but what gives the album resonance is how her clever songs keep 's supremely SoCal production from playing like aural candy. Both delight in celebrating and inverting the cliches of overblown '80s AOR and that's what makes such a fun trip. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine