Woman In Color

On her sophomore album, Woman in Color, Raye Zaragoza confronts her audience with powerful, strident protest songs - the kind of direct, timeless lyrics that everyone with a guitar has been reaching for since November 2016. Few have succeeded, and Zaragoza is at the head of the class. Woman in Color, produced by Grammy-nominated producer Tucker Martine (Neko Case, My Morning Jacket, First Aid Kit, The Decemberists), has a sleek pop sheen, but it's luxurious feel can't detract from the difficult experiences Zaragoza relates in her lyrics: racism, sexism, murder. Overall, Woman in Color is reminiscent of Brandi Carlile's ability to make a strong statement couched in comforting music.