Nora Collins has moved from suburban Milwaukee to Nashville. The change befits a singer who survived the local late ’00s boomlet of young women pursuing pop country in Taylor Swift’s wake. Ready for her national breakthrough, her latest release, Strings, finds her savvier than ever to the trends Music Row nowadays deems apt for commercial radio. Perhaps because she’s always had a bit of pop flair about her work, Collins’ venture into dance music doesn’t feel like bait-and-switch. Collins leans a bit toward tradition on Strings’ most empathetic cut where she invites Vince Gill for some background vocals. Elsewhere, she maintains local ties by giving Bluemound Road a lyrical namecheck. The great asset of her exuberant voice with a patina of twang remains an undiminished delight.
