Here you can hear echoes of such road-seasoned female troubadours as Rosalie Sorrels, Kate Wolf, and Nanci Griffiths. The connection is made stronger by the presence of longtime Griffiths guitarist Thomm Jutz as producer. But beyond such reference points, Katy Boyd stands out for the gritty honesty she brings to her songwriting. Her tunes avoid easy answers and don’t flinch at uncomfortable truths. Her smoky alto vocals have a weathered yet resilient quality, matching the themes of heartache and regret running through her lyrics. Tracks like “Jigs & Reels & Ferris Wheels,” “Time Machine," and “Mama” are true-to-life looks at romantic betrayal and family dysfunction, set to sturdy alt-country tunes more rooted in California hippie folkdom than modern-day Nashville. Though her outlook is often rueful, Boyd has fun satirizing narrow-minded stereotypes (“Happy Single Mother’s Day”) and her own hard luck (“I’m Not Depressed”). “Circus Folk” is a rollicking Latin-inflected number, while a cover of Steve Winwood’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” lets her emote with Bonnie Raitt–like bluesiness.