When a relative of a music star releases an album, I get suspicious and, in this case, musical relations are omnipresent. Carlene Carter is the daughter of June Carter, the stepdaughter of Johnny Cash, the granddaughter of Mother Maybelle Carter, and the wife of power-pop luminary Nick Lowe (who produced). Is Carlene’s Musical Shapes just another attempt to cash in (pun intended) on connections?

Absolutely not, as it turns out. Carlene is a winner in her own right, and while her country-rock approach clearly evidences her familial influences, it also projects her radiant personality and vocal prowess. Don’t miss “Baby Ride Easy,” a tongue-in-cheek delight that features a tremendous vocal duet with Dave Edmunds.