“There’s two kinds of women you let in your life/ Exciting new mistress and boring old wife,” sings country throwback Carolyn Mark on her new album, Nothing Is Free. The line is indicative of Mark’s straightforward style – she doesn’t take shit and she’s not afraid to let you know it. And, safe to say, Mark is not boring. She’s good friends with fellow twangy siren Neko Case (the outspoken duo released an album together in 2000) and the Canadian songwriter has made a name for herself with five brassy albums over the last seven years. Mark’s music is so authentic in its back porch vibe, it seems to come with its own direct link to Loretta Lynn’s ’60s heyday – like her heroes, Mark is not afraid to rail against a man too drunk to understand his own fuck-ups. Not to say Mark is some kind of saint: Her gigs are known for their off-balance candor and ribald humor as much as the homespun tunes. Go for the music, stay for the dirty jokes.