Rosanne Cash

“Black Cadillac”

4 STARS

Capitol Records

ON her new record, “Black Cadillac,” Rosanne Cash has tapped into her own pain. (She lost her dad, Johnny, and stepmom, June Carter Cash, in 2003; and her mom, Vivian Cash, last year.)

Maybe because Cash lives here rather than Nashville, this record isn’t full of two-step twangers. Instead, the songs are soul-searching exercises that take her from grief to gratitude. Her vocals find depth in honesty. Think Lucinda Williams doing “Passionate Kisses” or Ireland’s Mary Black singing “Dimming of the Day.”

Like those singers, Cash is outstanding, especially when she rediscovers her faith and rage.

document.write(”);

Download this: “Black Cadillac”

CAT POWER

The Greatest”

3 STARS

Matador Records

For her seventh studio disc, Chan Marshall, professionally known as Cat Power, sheds her signature stripped-down arrange-ments to take a stab at Memphis’ Stax sound.

For fans of Marshall’s stark work, this departure disc is a shock. Helping her make this music are Memphis homeboys, including Teenie Hodges and the MG’s beatmaster Steve Potts on drums.

While there aren’t many really upbeat numbers on “The Greatest,” it goes beyond Marshall’s usual downers. She adds orchestral arrangements to her soul originals about the longing to be somebody. Where her voice has been downright cold on past CDs, there’s a tenderness and hospitality here.

Download this: “Living Proof”

HAYSEED DIXIE

“A HOT PIECE OF GRASS”

3 ½ STARS

Cooking Vinyl Records

WHEN Hayseed Dixie singer Barley Scotch realized Hank Williams’ “Lost Highway” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” were about the same (figurative) road, a band was born.

This Appalachian bluegrass quartet proves volume, virtuosity and velocity belong to both metal and bluegrass. The hybrid is startling and appealing. For their third CD, they chose Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Rosie,” Van Halen’s “Runnin’ With the Devil,” and more, for retooling.

The rock-bluegrass fusion might seem like a novelty, but this disk has legs. Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades,” on banjo and mandolin, is terrific.

Download this: “War Pigs”

dauilante@nypost.com