Numbered Doors reaffirms both Lori McKenna’s literate, unsparingly perceptive lyric gifts and her knack for evocative folk/country melodies. “Rose of Jericho,” “Three Kids No Husband,” and the title track are indicative of her keen eye and compassionate heart. McKenna’s sturdy, slightly pain-wracked vocals render wounded ballads like “The Time I’ve Wasted” and “Stranger in His Kiss” and bruised but hopeful numbers like “Good Marriage” and “Starlight” with conviction born of experience. Numbered Doors is a remarkably truthful portrayal of the American heartland that transcends its hard-luck stories through the beauty of its craft.