The Bird & The Rifle (2016)

“The secret to McKenna’s success is that she understands that life. The real stuff happens in the space between the breaths, the calm between the storms, and the quiet between the words. That’s where she lives (along with her husband and five children) so it’s also where she creates. In McKenna’s hands, the often arduous daily toil gets sculpted into magnificent vignettes. Even when McKenna takes a hard look at long-term commitment, as she does so wondrously in the album’s opener, “Wreck You,” she makes the lack of romanticism somehow romantic. That same matter-of-fact handling works to great effect as McKenna prattles off the poignant check-list that is “Humble and Kind.” Other highlights include the breezy vibe of “We Were Cool,” the Mary Chapin Carpenter feel of “All These Things,” the thoughtful sway of “Old Men Young Women,” and the telling shuffle of “Giving Up on Your Hometown.” Really, though, there’s nary a missed shot anywhere in the set.” (Folk Alley)