It's how music fans imagine every album to be recorded, but rarely is it a reality. Instead of sequestering individual musicians in micro-studios or recording each layer of a song one by one, Ashley Monroe recorded 'Like a Rose' live and in the round. The result? A project that fans and critics are fighting to pile with praise, and one that's gathering her attention across the internet.

"It was just natural, we were all feeding off of each other," Monroe tells Taste of Country. "Most vocals are live. We all were performing at our very best." Co-producer Vince Gill oversaw the production, providing a steady hand on an emotional batch of songs.

"I would see Vince kind of pacing around and I'd see him get a guitar and sit down. I mean good Lord," she says, pausing to consider Gill's talent. "If you take his voice away and his songwriting … just guitar playing alone is just … stupid [laughs]."

Monroe says each song on 'Like a Rose' is personal to her, but the title track and 'Morning After' are the most revealing. "Every time I sing it's like a knife in the heart, but in a good way," she says.

The process made recording the album a more enjoyable and organic. Monroe insists she totally wraps herself in every song -- to the point she loses awareness. However, she still knew when the title track was finished. "Every song was different, but 'Like a Rose,' it had its magic take," she explains, "and it's on the record like that. We all felt it. There was a buzz in the room."

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