Texas-born Lee Ann Womack made bold new strides with her landmark third album, 2000's I Hope You Dance. With Something Worth Leaving Behind, she's delivered yet another impeccable, mature, and emotionally powerful song collection that will no doubt resound just as dramatically with listeners. Soulful, inward, aching, and cautiously celebratory by turns, these exquisite songs and masterful performances are anchored by the timely and hauntingly introspective title tune. Among the 12 other gems are a pair of powerfully rendered Julie Miller originals (the wailing, teeth-gnashing "I Need You" and the eerie, medieval-sounding "Orphan Train"), a wistful Bruce Robison-penned confessional called "Blame It on Me" (to which Robison contributes harmonies), and an angry, show-stopping Matraca Berg sendoff called "You Should Have Lied." --Bob Allen