Barnett More Than Captures Spirit of Cline

At the age of 23, singer Mandy Barnett traffics in a subgenre of country music that went out of vogue before she was even born. But she’s something more than just another revivalist. Barnett, who performed at the Troubadour on Wednesday, may have internalized the sound and vocal technique of her musical hero Patsy Cline, but she’s such a savvy performer that she doesn’t allow the country legend’s style to supersede her own.

Barnett is intent on capturing the spirit of a specific musical aesthetic--the stately, sophisticated brand of country popularized by Cline in the late ‘50s. At the Troubadour, Barnett--who was backed by a large group of veteran Nashville studio heavies, many of whom played on Cline’s biggest hits--performed material from her new album, “I’ve Got a Right to Cry,” that replicated the four-square lope and lush arrangements of Cline’s records. Clad in a form-fitting black dress, Barnett projected a coolly elegant persona that was less country diva than cabaret chanteuse.

But while Barnett is enamored of Cline, her singing style isn’t as brassy. Instead, she was a model of tasteful restraint. She held back and melted into the band’s nuanced ensemble playing, and occasionally belted out phrases for dramatic impact. With her throaty purr, Barnett infused even the most forlorn ballads with a touch of sly sensuality.