She doesn’t cover much territory in her songs; instead, her poetic lyrics magnify the life experiences she sings about. Her fourth album has wandered into pop territory (she’s had a song on “Dawson’s Creek”), but her older, more folky songs have an empowering “Yeah, I’ve made mistakes but I’m moving on” kind of universal appeal. See her perform at Babe’s on Friday (Nov. 22) at 8 p.m., $10. 3166 W. Cary St.
— carrie