Patty is better known as a master songwriter than a singer—her tunes typically don’t truly flower until high-profile fans like the Dixie Chicks and Joan Osborne get hold of them. This fifth studio album might change that: Children Running Through finds Patty exploring the limits of her singing voice, and coming up with more soul and style than even her most ardent fans might have imagined she had in her. Fair warning to anyone looking to cover these tunes—this time, it’s gonna be tough to outsing the songwriter.