As a trans woman who began performing music in the ‘90s, Shawna Virago is an under-heralded pioneer – which hopefully changes this year with the release of Blood in Her Dreams, one of the year’s best in the Americana vein. Virago’s attentive, vivid lyrics recall Lucinda Williams, while the ramshackle, pissed-off energy of L.A. punk band X runs through her vocals. Virago told Billboard that “Ghosts Cross State Lines” is about someone coping with the “psychic residue” of an abusive relationship, and as with every song on this LP, Virago spins the story with a keen sense of empathy. — JOE LYNCH