Clock Without Hands is Nanci Griffith's first recording of original material since 1997's Blue Roses From the Moon. Clock Without Hands' catchy title track, propelled forward by steady percussion and insistent acoustic guitar, seems to get things off to a good start. The production is bright and the lyric is metaphorical. The production of "Traveling Through This Part of You," the second cut, varies greatly from the first track. In fact, the production changes from track to track and reminds one of a greatest-hits package. This song, along with "Roses on the 4th of July," also attempts to come to grips with the sacrifices that Vietnam War veterans made for their country. Two other tunes should be mentioned. On "Shaking Out the Snow" Griffith delivers an agonized vocal, and one's response to it -- that she overreaches or perfectly captures the mood -- will depend on whether one buys the tortured lyric. The album ends with a cover of -- don't even try to guess -- "In the Wee Small Hours," complete with a string arrangement. There are a number of things to like about Clock Without Hands, and the album will undoubtedly grow on listeners. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.