In the three years since her last album, Tift Merritt has had some highs and lows, from a 2005 best country album Grammy nomination down to getting dropped by Lost Highway Records last fall.

But things are finally picking up.

Merritt is in Los Angeles this month working on her third album, "Another Country," with Tom Petty/Black Crowes producer George Drakoulias. The album should be out next spring on her new label, Fantasy Records (also the imprint for John Fogerty, Edie Brickell and the late Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas").

"We rented a house in Laurel Canyon, on the same road where Carole King used to live and Joni Mitchell right up the street," Merritt says. "We're in overdubs and cutting vocals. It's kind of like Fleetwood Mac, earthy and with great energy, but I'm trying to make it a singer-songwriter record, too."

As suggested by the title, Merritt wrote most of the new album's material while in France last year. Songs include "Hopes Too High," "My Heart Is Free," "Broken" and "Something to Me." Her regular band backs her up, plus former Bob Dylan sideman Charlie Sexton on lead guitar (replacing Brad Rice, who now plays in Keith Urban's band).

Given how much time has gone by since 2004's "Tambourine," Merritt is well aware that she has a lot riding on this album.

"I'm almost middle-aged now," mock-groans Merritt, 32. "But this one is extra important to me and it's been a long time coming. So it's especially heartfelt. I'm just trying to make it the best, most honest record I can."

Merritt's next local performance is as special guest at a free N.C. Symphony "Pops in the Park" show, Sept. 2 at Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre. She'll do mostly older songs, plus the "Another Country" title track.

Little Brother's big move

Also in label transition is the local hip-hop group Little Brother. After parting ways with Atlantic Records, Little Brother has returned to ABB Records, the independent label that released its 2003 debut "The Listening." ABB will release Little Brother's new album "Getback" on Sept. 25.

"That date is as certain as we can be, as of right now," says frontman Phonte Coleman. "This is hip-hop, so it's hard to know."

Atlantic released Little Brother's "The Minstrel Show" in 2005, picking up glowing reviews but mediocre sales. After a protracted round of negotiating and recording, Atlantic finally agreed to cut the group loose.

"We just came to an agreement where we didn't want to be there and they didn't want us there, so they let us go," Coleman says. "They were cool about it, didn't tie us up forever. So I can't speak bad about them."

In contrast to the 17-track conceptual sprawl of "The Minstrel Show," Coleman describes "Getback" as a more modest effort.

"I think it's our shortest, most concise and focused album to date," Coleman says. "When I was writing before, I'd be thinking, 'I need this kind of song for the girls, one for the club, one for radio.' But this one is more about the topical aspects of what I wanted each individual song to say."

You can take a listen to the "Getback" track "Good Clothes" at myspace.com/littlebrother. For now, Little Brother's closest shows are happening Aug. 1 at the Soapbox in Wilmington, and Aug. 5 at Charlotte's Neighborhood Theatre.

Still rising

Merge Records' hot streak continues. After reaching No. 2 on the Billboard charts in March with Arcade Fire, the Durham-based label has notched its second top-10 album. The Texas rock band Spoon's "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" sold 46,000 copies in its opening week to debut at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. That also stands as Spoon's best chart showing by 34 notches.