Pop/Rock - Maybe it's a result of being raised amidst the harsh, sometimes bleak environs of the Scottish Shetland Islands, but singer/songwriter Astrid Williamson has never been averse to exploring the raw, stripped bare aspects of the creative music-making process. Her husky voice has a rugged naturalness that can take the most lovely melody and add a touch of bracing realism, challenging the listener to dig deeper emotionally into her lyrics to find the naked, sometimes brutal core of a song.

Now with her fourth solo album, Here Come the Vikings, arriving initially as an import, Williamson has delivered a jolt of high-voltage energy into the mix and reminding us what it is, after all, that fuels power pop. Like a gasping splash of cold water after a warm, cozy rest, Vikings finds Williamson rediscovering her inner semi-rock-goddess.

"I was losing 10 BPM (beats per minute) every album," she declares, "so I thought I'd plug in and sort things out." Led by the appropriately titled and propulsive first radio track "Shut Your Mouth (Until I Kiss You)", Vikings is a sprawling, intelligent collection of soulful ballads, not-quite-straight ahead rock anthems and everything in between. It struts and soars, exposing nerves and defying rules, challenging perceptions of her self, her music and her vision. Not many artists can reveal a new, unexpected side of their artistry with out sounding manipulative, but then most artists don't have the depth or imagination to begin with. Williamson's intensity and drive permeates even her quietest moments. You're drawn in because you're curious where she's headed -- and you know you want to come along.