Kate Earl - Stronger (2012)

2012 release, the third album from the singer/songwriter. Written and recorded with an expansive crew of well-respected Californians including Brett Dennen, Blake Mills and other established L.A.-based musicians, Stronger shows off the careful development of a singular voice. The album's sound, a rootsy brand of all-American pop-rock, recalls classic works by some of the west coast singers Kate's older brothers listened to during long hours at their family's gas station. Artists like Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, and Joni Mitchell along with Tom Petty are cited as heavy influences on this album. Stronger's lived-in Laurel Canyon vibe came together quickly, with Kate and Brett Dennen (her principal collaborator on Stronger) recording 17 songs in a six-day session at Los Angeles' famed Village Recorders.