“Blues for the Weepers,” based here on Della Reese’s version, is a singer’s mission statement, while “One More Song,” from longtime Leonard Cohen collaborator Sharon Robinson, is an end-is-near lament. “Romance in the Dark” injects an extra dose of lust into Lil Green’s already sensual blues.

The closing track is Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird.” It could be the odd one out, but it’s one of the album’s key moments, with LaVette making it autobiographical and lifting it to new dimensions.

“I took my broken wings/and taught my own self how to fly,” LaVette sings on top of gentle acoustic guitar and bass and empathetic strings, an intense and memorable self-portrait.

LaVette’s travails in the music business have been many and extensive, her talents mostly hidden from wider view for decades until a resurgence this century that seems to have brought her as much fulfillment as joy and awe to her listeners.

All in all, “Blackbirds” is one of LaVette’s best albums, a fantastically selected and performed collection of deep and throbbing heart and soul.