Patty Griffin’s return from a six-year hiatus is the stunning Crown of Roses. The best songwriters, Griffin among them, often gravitate toward dark material, and her recent run of albums has moved increasingly in that direction. Griffin works mostly with the core of her longtime guitarist, David Pulkingham, drummer Michael Longoria, and multi-instrumentalist Craig Ross. Griffin sings in a whisper, as if taking her last breaths in a desperate cry for help, in a tone of futility. Griffin’s voice is more emphatic, even powerful in “All the Way Home,” filled with imagery about traveling to the city from her residence outside of town.