Rhonda Vincent

Don't be alarmed by the slightly sultry photo of Rhonda Vincent adorning the front cover of her latest album: She's standing in the middle of a city street holding a mandolin, wearing leather pants and a low-cut top, and has a bit of midriff showing. Relax -- Vincent is not easing toward Dixie Chicks territory. One Step Ahead is still undiluted modern bluegrass, not strictly "purist," but with no concessions to country (of either the mainstream or alt varieties) or pop.

All the typical aspects of bluegrass are here: the instrumentation (guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass); breakneck tempos; tight, surging, gospel-shaded harmonies; and urgently dexterous solos. What separates this record from the pack is Vincent's high-lonesome, hearty alto voice and the self-effacing virtuosity of her band, the Rage, whose heartfelt musicianship and razor-sharp interplay draw the listener's attention to the tune, not the soloist. To the band's credit, there's not one gratuitous note to be heard on this set, and while its playing is tight, there's none of the bland precision that mars some of the genre.

There are some interesting and wholly satisfying variations on the formula, though: the fusion of bluegrass and doo-wop R&B on "Pathway of Teardrops"; the entrancing, Middle Eastern-tinged instrumental "Frankie Belle"; and the plaintive ballad "Missouri Moon," which might possibly become a country hit in the hands (throat?) of a more conventional singer. Another unexpected divergence is the exhilarating trucker's tale "Ridin' the Red Line," sung not from the point of view of a housewife pining for her big rig-drivin' daddy, but rather from that of a female trucker whose main squeeze is keeping the home fires burning on his own. Ms. Vincent could wear a clown nose or a dominatrix outfit on an album sleeve and she'd still command our worthy respect as one of the finest bluegrass artists around.