Gretchen Wilson

Redneck woman on cruise control

WHEN Wilson stormed the country scene three years and two albums ago, she arrived as a redneck woman primed for the party. She’s still a rowdy mama on much of her third album (in stores Tuesday) but now seems more interested in exploring her gentler side.

It’s a worthy ambition that, unfortunately, isn’t executed with the consistently lively songwriting she showed in her previous two efforts. Rather than moving boldly forward, she ends up holding her ground.

The title song, “The Girl That I Am,” and her duet with Big & Rich’s John Rich, “Come to Bed” (written by Rich and Vicky McGehee) make it clear that Wilson’s not limited to the sharply defined image she created of a butt-kickin’ champion of blue-collar life. But none of them brings thoroughly engaging displays of song craft.

There are worse crimes being committed in country these days; still, you want a writer of her obvious skill to do more with language as she (with help from Rich and McGehee) does in “There Goes the Neighborhood,” “Pain Killer” (co-written by Dean Hall) and the closing ballad “To Tell You the Truth,” which deftly turns that phrase into a double-edged sword.

She doesn’t want to be considered just one of the boys; she shouldn’t settle for being just one of the crowd either.

— Randy Lewis