By Michael McCall

Photo by Michael Alan GoldbergTwo young blondes with toothy smiles and hard-core work ethics, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, helped country expand its fan base in these years of shrinking music sales. Meanwhile, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and George Strait kept filling arenas and at least maintaining their popularity on the road, if not with record sales. But as has often been the case, the best country music has little to do with what’s successful in the genre. It’s made by those who care more about songs and arrangements than about what the radio is playing or what sparks an arena concert. Country music’s strengths come from timeless elements; the same can be said of this list of albums.HAYES CARLLTrouble in Mind (Lost Highway)MP3: Thetitle of the opening song, “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” tips off theperspective of this 32-year-old singer-songwriter from South Texas.With the wry, wise voice of an educated rounder, he tackles liquor,wild women, lost weekends and the perils of strutting and stumblingthrough life. Carll sings colorfully and believably about experiencesmost modern country singers ignore — or hide.LEE ANN WOMACKCall Me Crazy(MCA Nashville)MP3: Womackand her veteran producer, Tony Brown, combine traditional andcontemporary ideas in spare arrangements that add nuance to thereal-life dramas she sings about. The results reveal how Nashville canupdate country traditions without losing emotional heft, and Womack’svoice conveys heartbreak with the resignation of an adult who isn’tencountering pain for the first time.JAMEY JOHNSONThat Lonesome Song(Mercury Nashville)MP3: Asalt-of-the-earth antidote for those who consider contemporary countrymusic too slick and sentimental, Johnson serves up barroom poetry fromthe point of view of hard-bitten losers and boozers. But it’s not justthe outlaw stance that lifts his work; it’s the blue-collarauthenticity of a man writing his truths with a balance of nerve andsensitivity. He also offers the best backroom honky-tonk arrangementsheard this year. THE STEELDRIVERSThe Steeldrivers(Rounder)MP3: BanjoistRichard Bailey, bassist Richard Fleming, guitarist Mike Henderson andfiddler Tammy Rogers give the Steeldrivers a formidable instrumentallineup. But the ace in the hole is lead singer Chris Stapleton, whoshakes the earth with a rumbling baritone growl that has more in commonwith soulful modern rockers than with high-lonesome tenors. AddHenderson and Stapleton’s dangerous, distinctive songs about murderersand haunted souls, and the result is a rare bluegrass outfit you can’tinvite to church on Sunday. JUSTIN TOWNES EARLEThe Good Life(Bloodshot)MP3: AnR. Crumb cartoon come to life, Earle offers a jaunty mix ofvaudevillian swing and Texas shuffles, with a couple of sidesteps intobluesy, singer-songwriter narratives. His rakish style and fitfulenergy, coupled with randy, self-deprecating lyrics, create theportrait of a charming young hustler — one likely to have a paperbacktucked into his pocket.PATTY LOVELESSSleepless Nights(Saguaro Road)MP3: Asthe most convincingly old-school female country singer of her era,Loveless seems a natural for an album of classic covers. Drawinglargely on golden-age songs from the 1950s and ’60s, Loveless andproducer-husband Emory Gordy take pains to find fresh ways to interpretfamiliar lyrics. The result underscores why these songs endure — andwhy Loveless is held in such high esteem by artists of earliergenerations.BRUCE ROBISONThe New World/His Greatest(Perfect)MP3: Modern-dayTexas bard Robison manages to compose hits for Nashville stars — noeasy task for an outsider who writes alone — while creating laid-backyet provocative collections of his own. He released two albums thisyear, one refashioning hits made famous by others, and another of newmaterial. Both portray a singer-songwriter who moves at a pacedistinctly different from the in-your-face razzmatazz of Music Row:Robison’s songs lope with funky rhythms or breathe with an acousticmelodicism perfect for narratives that get inside human emotions. THE WRIGHTSThe Wrights/In the Summertime(ACR/Tour)MP3: Thishardworking husband-and-wife duo also put out two collections thisyear: an EP of originals that slip from breezy to brave, and a stylishalbum of covers notable for how strongly the couple’s own vision shinesthrough on a list of unpredictable choices. Shannon Wright brings agreat song interpreter’s sense of nuance to her sweet, sensual voiceand, together with husband Adam, arranges tunes with a grace that makeslisteners lean in and pay attention. KATHY MATTEACoal(Captain Potato/Thirty Tigers)MP3: Asa leading Nashville star in the 1980s and ’90s, Mattea always brought afolkie’s sensibility and earthiness to country radio. As an independentartist, she’s increasingly shed Nashville’s easy sentiments for thedeeper truths of singer-songwriters. Coal is the most overt folk albumof her career — and one of her best. A collection of songs with miningas a theme, it draws on Mattea’s West Virginia roots and her earlymusical influences — and whether she’s flashing anger, compassion orlove, her enormous humanity shines through.RANDY TRAVISAround the Bend(Warner Bros.)MP3: Thisis what aging country singers should sound like in the 21st century.Weathered and wise, Travis presents tough songs about personalreckonings brought on by bad choices, and balances them with gracioussongs about the comfort brought on by good love. One of hisgeneration’s most identifiable vocalists, Travis takes more risks withhis baritone these days, with solid results. Meanwhile, he and hislongtime producer, Kyle Lehning, blend good taste with bold ideas inboth material and arrangements.