Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Kellie Pickler's lyrics are as clean-cut as she appears to be. This small-town girl delivers gentle messages of empowerment and also knows how to have a little fun. "Wild Ponies" addresses the issue of relationship abuse, and "I Wonder" expresses heartbreak over an absentee dad.
Families can talk about the ways in which Kellie uses her voice on this album. Should she stick to the kind of songs she performs well, or is it brave and cool that she tries her hand at ballads that are currently beyond her vocal and dramatic abilities?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Kellie Pickler rushes out of the gate with "Red High Heels," declaring to a deadbeat boyfriend "You thought I'd wait around forever but baby get real ... I'm about to show you just how missin' me feels/in my red high heels." The strong country-rock beat and sassy tone are suited to the American Idol runner-up's perky country chirp; the track succeeds on the basis of its good-natured attitude more than anything close to brilliant songwriting or performance.
Pickler continues to charm her fans on several subsequent tracks: "One of the Guys" (though implausible based on the lovely CD insert photos) expresses longing for the simple pleasures of guy-hood with lyrics like "Something 'bout old blue jeans and a baseball cap ... chicken wings, NASCAR, and football Monday nights/Sometimes it's fun to be one of the guys." Again, the songwriting isn't brilliant, but the sum of the song's parts, along with Pickler's energetic delivery, pull it off. The one bright light in her songwriting is from "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" ("that joke is too dirty, this steak is too thin, that car is too fast, this beer is too cold"). It's clever and funny, and shows Pickler at her best.
Unfortunately, though, Ms. Pickler doesn't stick to material that allows her to strut her best stuff. Several cloying, overly slick ballads are several too many. "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" is pointless and whiny and only serves to emphasize vocal weaknesses. "Wild Ponies" delivers a poignant story about a woman's emancipation from an abusive relationship, but the lyrics are so banal and corny that the message loses potency. The same goes for "I Wonder," the most successful of the ballads, a song that addresses a girl's longing for her absentee mom. Pickler and her producers might do well to consider the fact that you don't have to hit your audience over the head to get a point across.
KPickler fans will also enjoy American Idol contestant Katharine McPhee and the CD, American Idol: Season 5: Encores. For some classic "small-town-girl" singing, check out Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentOnly the subtlest of innuendo. |
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ViolenceOne song addresses violence in a relationship, but not graphically. |
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Social BehaviorSome strong, clear, but gentle messages about caring for oursleves and one another. |
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