Is “in the eyes of strangers” Melissa Ferrick’s rockingest album yet? “I hope so,” the singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist says from her hometown, Newburyport. “Although there are no electric guitars, whereas in the past there were. I started working in January as far having the songs together, and started demo-ing on my own. It seemed like a lot of medium  to medium-fast tempo songs. I knew I wanted to make it with a band, not do it by myself again. And then everybody fell into place, me, (producer) Ethan Allen, time at  Q Division studio. It was domino effect.”
Ferrick is taking three of those players drummer Daren Hawn, bassist Sara Lee and keyboardist Julie Wolf with her on the current leg of her 13-date tour, which stops at Somerville Theatre Saturday Dec. 2. “What happens,” says Ferrick, of the show, “is it starts with new material with band, I play solo in the middle, four-to-six songs, then with Sara, then Julie, then Daren. I’m really trying play the record. This is the first time I’ve been able to tour with a band for the  first time in my life.”
Ferrick broke on to the scene 13 years ago, at 22, as part of the Lilith Fair generation, a strong singer who wrote openly about lesbian relationships, among other things. Asked about incorrect stereotypes, Ferrick replies, “That I’m just like Ani DiFranco. I’m a huge fan of hers and love her music, and adore her personality and, of course, I’m inspired by her. But in interview after interview I hear a lot of Ani, and I say, “Where?” Musically, it doesn’t strike me at all. That underlying (question) is ‘Is there a catfight thing?’ which there isn’t.” 
Ferrick has written from dark places and light places. “Never Give Up” starts the new CD – certainly a song of optimism and fight if there ever was one – and Ferrick says it was written at her sister’s house as she watched her kids play in the pool and challenge each other to go into the “deep end.” That served as impetus for the metaphor she quickly employed in song. “There’s that freedom kids have,” Ferrick says, “to conquer something and say ‘This is awesome!’ I love to play that song live. It means a lot of things to me, not just about me and my career.”
Ferrick’s career has actually experienced steady growth, as she’s moved from small clubs to mid-level theaters. “In the eyes of strangers” is selling better out of the box than any previous CD. “I feel pretty content with this record,” she says, “only out a few weeks ago and it’s doing better than I anticipated I feel like on this record it’s time to move up a notch.”
Ferrick took two years between albums. Not an eternity, but longer than usual. “I felt like taking some time,” she says.  “I didn’t want to shovel another one out. I wanted to write songs, so I could throw some away and have a solid album. I didn’t want to feel rushed. Do some other things. And a year and a half ago, I fell madly in love and I’m working hard in that relationship. It’s been a really interesting year, growing up and playing differently, writing differently, stylistically, not banging on my guitar as much and strumming more, trying to utilize melody a lot more. Things feel really balanced. I’m psyched.” And that’s a good thing. “Usually,” Ferrick says, with a laugh, “I m obsessed.”  Ferrick’s Somerville show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets: $26.50-$21.50.

55 Davis Sq., Somerville Theater 617-931-2000 ticketmaster.com