Rose Cousins’ ‘Natural Conclusion’ stands as one of 2017’s finest Americana albums

Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Rose Cousins delivered an exquisite album, “Natural Conclusion,” that’s easily one of the most distinguished Americana releases of 2017. The work was released back in February but remains one of the year’s most overlooked works.

With great aplomb, both as a writer and a vocalist, she examines fundamental aspects of human experience: loneliness, freedom, yearning for connection, the expectations we hold for ourselves, and hopes we maintain for others.

Her collaboration with producer Joe Henry brought considerable dimension to those themes, which she provided with achingly beautiful melodies and her assured singing, which traverses a gamut from vulnerability to steely strength.

“Natural Conclusions” generated a single Grammy Award nomination — a nod as best engineered non-classical album, recognizing Ryan Freeland and Joao Carvalho’s stunning technical work, but Cousins (and Henry) are every bit as worthy of kudos from their peers, and music aficionados, for so deeply moving a work as this.

randy.lewis@latimes.com