The denim shirt has given way to an off-the-shoulder sweater. The cascade of light brunet curls has been made blond and straight. The country girl is now a dazzling beauty. Happy to report, this make-over in pursuit of mass appeal applies only to Trisha Yearwood's appearance; not only has her music retained its edge, but it has grown. Hearts in Armor goes deeper into the acoustic-based country and folk styles that marked Yearwood's 1991 debut, Trisha Yearwood, then adds some soul-influenced touches in making an irrefutable argument that music – not image – is this artist's drawing card.

On a disc that offers much to admire – Garth Fundis's sparkling production, sensitive instrumental support, first-rate songs – Yearwood's singing is the most compelling element. She has added both sass and depth to her seductive tone. Hearts is hard country, starkly rendered and personal to an often-startling degree; it tests listeners' expectations as fully as the artist tests herself.

On the tough Matraca Berg-Gary Harrison opener, "Wrong Side of Memphis," you hear the steely resolve of someone determined to recast her destiny out of unfortunate circumstances. On the other end of the spectrum, Yearwood gives the Emmylou Harris-Paul Kennerley chestnut "Woman Walk the Line" a deliberate, searching reading. Beth Nielsen Chapman's lament "Down on My Knees" finds Yearwood declaiming in pure gospel-soul fashion, one moment strong and self-assured, the next lost in the rubble of a broken heart.

Guests Garth Brooks, Don Henley, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill and, notably, the Mavericks' Raul Malo make worthwhile contributions, but none eclipse the range and versatility Yearwood displays. The adventurousness of Hearts in Armor serves notice that Trisha Yearwood has the potential for a long, significant career. (RS 640)

DAVID MCGEE