One of the standouts on this album, “Say Grace” is something for everyone. This album may focus on very specific characters, but the sentiment of feeling hopeless or lost is a highly relatable one. At our lowest, there’s at least room for redemption and acceptance, because that’s how the love truly begins to form. That’s how the hatred and the differences dissolve into nothing. The only way we can fail is if we give up, and the only person who can stop us from making a difference is us.  The song captures this sentiment so well, and it just may be one of Peters’ finest tunes ever.

It’s also easy to view “Love That Makes A Cup Of Tea” as something similar to what Jason Isbell did with “Something To Love” off of last year’s The Nashville Sound. Much like “Say Grace,” the main theme here is love, more specifically how love can form even in the tiniest of actions. It doesn’t take much to make a difference to somebody, and in an overwhelming time, it’s important to keep that in mind.

Dancing With The Beast is an incredibly complex, rich album that offers up hope by reminding us of who we can be at our lowest. The resulting project is one of her best.

To read this review in its entirety, visit The Shotgun Seat.