Lynn Drury demonstrates her staying power as a sultry Southern singer/songwriter who can really ache and wail on her newest release All You Need. Her lyrics are intelligent, somewhat streetwise yet expressive of her rural roots. In “Down the Road,” she sings about what her Dad taught her about horses which she then relates to people, or more specifically, to men.

Drury’s voice is appealing and on the quieter softer tune, “Soundtrack,” she seductively drawls, provoking an intimacy that reveals her to be both flirtatious and wise. She has certain guile about her.

The lyrics on the title cut were written in collaboration with drummer/vocalist Chris Pylant, and it’s the best summation of what Drury is all about musically with a good hook and all the right elements intact. She finishes off the set with the spare and folk-like “Dream,” which is a good-natured bitch session about being broke, “where there’s nothing to do but sit around and think o’ somethin’ better and dream / you can dream until your wish it comes true.”

Backing her up with solid playing is a band of professionals including James “Jimbo” Mathus, who not only co-produced the CD with Drury at his Delta Sound Recording Studio in Mississippi, but also extended his musicianship by playing electric guitars, Wurlitzer, mandolin and dobro on the album.

Throughout, Drury conveys the feelings of a strong, independent woman who refuses to be thrown out of the saddle, but at the same time, she has warmth that is stirring and inviting. It is this combination of softness and strength that makes Drury’s music intriguing and beautiful.