CORPORATE LINE: In 2005, Louisiana-born and North Carolina-raised singer Kellie Pickler landed a spot in the fifth season of American Idol. Though she finished sixth, the former waitress and Miss North Carolina contestant charmed American audiences with her Southern twang and blonde ambition, resulting in a contract with BNA Records that yielded her debut album, Small Town Girl, in the fall of 2006.
THE GOOD:
“Red High Heels” – Pickler is at her most natural when she is singing as a Faith Hill knock-off. The song owes as much to pop as it does to Nashville.
THE AVERAGE:
“Gotta Keep Moving” – When the tempo isn’t full speed Pickler’s lack of vocal range starts to show. The verses are where she really struggles to keep it dynamic.
“Things That Never Cross A Man’s Mind” – Honestly, the song is simple enough for Pickler to pull off and yet she never musters up any personality. This is a song that Shania Twain might make something out of but Pickler isn’t up to the task.
“Small Town Girl” – This certainly fits Pickler’s personality. It’s just not a great song.
THE BAD:
“Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You” – Pickler is far to young and unsophisticated to try and pull of a song of this depth.
“Wild Ponies” – Pickler shouldn’t have come anywhere near this song. This is a song for a much more mature woman.
“Girls Like Me” – A song about kissing the star football player and then getting her heartbroken is a sad showing.
FRANKLY: Kellie Pickler’s new album, Small Town Girl, has some good and bad—not unlike her performances on American Idol. When Pickler tries her hand at songs beyond her range or age the record falls flat. When Pickler is allowed to be a sweet, innocent girl everything seems to come out alright. It’s a shame because Kellie Pickler has a sweet enough voice and the right songs might have made all the difference in the world.
+ Rae Gun
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