Ashleigh Flynn's fourth album, released on her own Home Perm records, is partly inspired by the child's painting used as the cover art.
The watercolour by her young niece depicts a sassy cowgirl riding across the desert, confidently swirling a lasso under a starry sky. It's an image that prompted Flynn to write a batch of songs about the 'old wild west' as seen from a female perspective.
So, for instance, the title track,A Million Stars, tells the story of two pioneering cowgirls who rode the outlaw trails in the 1800s disguised as men "hauling booze to trade" while the strident How The West Was Won, celebrates another rebellious cowgirl who was certainly not the marrying kind.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans jazz of Prohibition Rose takes us on a journey into the past via the sleazy opium dens and illegal saloons of downtown Portland, Oregon.
Flynn's feminist stance also explains the choice of Prove It On Me as the sole cover song. This was written by, Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey (1886 - 1939), a woman who established herself as a feisty female alternative in an otherwise male dominated world of country blues.
This assertive and affirmative mood is not without its downside, however. A number of reflective tunes like Runnin' and A Little Low prove that even cowgirls get the blues.
All the striving for fulfilment and independence can come at a cost. Though our fate may be "written in the stars" (New Angel In Heaven), this does not automatically signify life comes with a happy ending.
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The low-key opening track,The Devil Called Your Name, is about the struggle and pain of living with a self destructive man ("A bottle lifts you every night and I'm the only one who drowns") and though Dirty Hands And Dirty Feet is rhythmically more upbeat, the song actually describes the harshness and risks of working down the mines.
The album was produced by long time musical collaborator Chris Funk of The Decembrists and features other musicians from Portland's vibrant music scene.
Flynn singles out Todd Snider for special mention. We hear Snider in the role of "the voice of reason" on See That Light a tongue in cheek sermon/rap against fire and brimstone preachers which advocates a more forgiving stance in the face of the world's many problems.
The variety of styles and moods on the record is both its strength and weakness.
It offers a lively female take on familiar Americana themes but, while the good outweighs the merely so-so, it also makes for a fairly disjointed overall package.
Ashleigh Flynn's website
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