Whether Tristan Prettyman likes it or not, she may have her ex to thank for the outcome of her 2012 album, Cedar + Gold, a follow up to 2008's Hello....x. Prettyman's four-year hiatus was the result of leisurely travel and a medical diagnosis - she had two polyps on her vocal cords that required surgery and recovery time. Still, the disc really came together after one big life-changing event: Prettyman's engagement to singer/songwriter Jason Mraz abruptly ended. Songs like "My Oh My," "I Was Gonna Marry You" and "Glass Jar" point fingers at the relationship's demise and her struggle to deal with heartache through reflection. But the album's raw, emotionally charged pop acoustics make it more hopeful than sullen. So don't bother bringing tissues to her performance at Stage Door Theater. With Anya Marina. $20. March 8, 8 p.m. Stage Door Theater, corner of Fifth and College streets. 704-372-1000.