Lucinda Williams’ artistic decline creates opportunities for acolytes such as Speace, who cultivates a similar patch of tough-but-tender alt-country. Speace pours heart and soul into her fourth album, which chronicles the emotional fallout of her failed marriage, with superb backing from her band, the Tearjerks, who bring a Neil Young-inspired touch of ragged-but-right to a project spaciously produced by Mitch Easter. Download: “Better.” (Appearing Sunday at Johnny D’s, Somerville.)