The band, founded on the marriage between vocalist Hill and her guitar-slinging husband Ray Meredith, is exactly the sort of group you'd like to stumble upon in a rugged coastal pub with a cold lager in hand. The lead couple, backed by a menagerie of supporting characters, borrows liberally from roots rock and country influences on their debut CD, Meredith Hill Road.

The disc busts out of the gate with "Hitchhiker," a shuffling rocker based on a snaky guitar lick. From the get-go, the band's not-so-secret weapon is revealed: Hill has one helluva set of pipes, equal parts Ann Wilson and Dolly Parton.

As the CD spins, the band falters a bit on Ray Meredith-led blues-rock run-throughs like "Train Roll On" and " Treat your Daddy Right" that come off a bit too "by the numbers." Temper that by knowing that this reviewer tends to feel that history has shown that the white man's lot in life isn't to have the blues, but to dish it out to others.

The group gels best in the crystal-clear acoustic moments of "Together" and "Bassman" in which Hill's voice rises above pastoral beds of finger-picking bliss. Elsewhere, most of the shining moments are steeped in warm familiarity.

"Gypsy" recalls Phil Lesh-led Grateful Dead jams and "Skagit Magic," one of the album's finest cuts feels like Robbie Robertson and The Band reinterpreting The Stones' "Wild Horses." The Renee Hill Band return to their roots with closing track "Green River Tavern," a rollicking sing-along, complete with raucous bar folk hootin' and hollerin' in the background.

You can purchase or listen to clips of "Meredith Hill Road" at cdbaby.com.