Shelby Lynne does it her way

When Shelby Lynne started to plan her latest release “Tears, Lies and Alibis,” she knew it was time to get back to her own music.

It’s not that Lynne didn’t savor recording “Just a Little Lovin'” — her 2008 tribute album to 1960s icon Dusty Springfield — but she wanted to stay true to her own musical vision.

“Covers records are fine but you can’t do too many or you sort of turn into a human karaoke machine,” Lynne said. “These songs are very personal, and I am one of those writers who never thinks too deep is deep enough.”

Perhaps that’s why Lynne’s album is one of the most powerful new releases this year. “Tears” doesn’t rely on any fancy technical styling or engineering tricks; instead it showcases Lynne’s music at it’s very best through simple but richly textured songs about everything from rainstorms in California to seeking dreams in the face of adversity. This is Lynne at her best, singing with the passion and wisdom of someone who fully submerges herself in the life about which she writes.

What arguably made the difference on this album is that Lynne took the reins. After years on major labels, Lynne has founded her own label — Everso Records — and wrote, recorded and produced the album herself.

That came after her past record label listened to the album’s early demos and planned to technically tweak it to just the right commercial sound. Basically, Lynne disagreed with the plan, took her demos and went home to finish the album herself.

Listening to it, you have a clear idea why the Virginia native received the coveted 2001 Grammy Award for “Best New Artist” and has remained an incredibly compelling musical force throughout the years.

The disagreement over how best to produce “Tears” is only the latest of the struggles Lynne has faced over her music. Even though record company execs tried for years to pigeonhole Lynne, she has famously moved among formats as divergent as country, pop and jazz. This is a woman who knows her own mind.

Her sixth album “I Am Shelby Lynne,” received kudos after its 2000 U.S. release and earned Lynne a Grammy Award for “Best New Artist.” Despite those accolades, she has continued to mix up her sound whatever the commercial consequences.

“I don’t want to be caught in a trap,” Lynne said. “I really like what I do, but I wanted to never be held to a certain thing. It’s a double-edged sword because it hasn’t gotten me a lot of hit records, but it has spiced up my music.”