CD Reviews- Gretchen Wilson- I Got Your Country Right Here

The Background:
Gretchen Wilson first exploded onto the country scene in 2004 with her breakthrough hit, “Redneck Woman.” Her debut album, Here For The Party, was certified 5x Platinum, and featured four top 5 singles, including the aforementioned chart-topping “Redneck Woman.” Since then, she has followed up her record-breaking debut with 2005’s All Jacked Up and 2007’s One Of The Boys, which each slated tunes on the country charts consistently for Wilson.

Gretchen first introduced the true definition of the redneck woman, a rough and tough female vocalist with the sass and attitude of a true country artist. Since her emergence onto the scene 6+ years ago, dozens of up-and-coming female country artists have modeled their music and personas off of Wilson, but none have come close to matching her tenacity, perseverance, or success. Now after exiting Sony BMG Nashville in July 2009, Gretchen releases her latest album, I Got Your County Right Here, on her very own label, Redneck Records.

The Review:
Gretchen Wilson’s latest album offers a few surprises, a couple typical tunes, and even unleashes a new side to self-proclaimed “one of the boys.” Kicking off the disc with the title track, Wilson once again demonstrates her tough-girl persona, which is also the case on “The Earrings Song,” a tune about teaching a girl a lesson who’s been flirting with her man. While there has been a song similar to this on every one of Gretchen’s albums, most notably “Homewrecker” from her debut, the track is still effective, and you can’t help but tap your foot and sing along.

Surprisingly enough, the album’s lead single, “Work Hard, Play Harder,” is not the best track, nor will it be the most successful. While the beat is edgy and catchy enough, the lyrical content seems slightly generic. This is ironically not the case for another upbeat track on the disc, “Blue Collar Done Turned Red,” a tune which may never be released as a single, but is one of the top tunes on the album.

The strength of ‘I Got Your Country Right Here’ is that it exonerates exactly what Gretchen Wilson represents, and what she has been about since she first debuted on the country scene in 2004. It is mostly upbeat, with only a few select tracks that slow down the pace, but only temporarily. Because these drawn-down songs, which include “I’m Only Human” and “I’d Love To Be Your Last,” are exceptions to the norm of the record, this adds to their notoriety and effectiveness. That being said, slower ballads are definitely not Wilson’s strengths, but they serve as only a moderate decline in the overall quality of the album.

After a momentary absence during the release of her 2007 album One Of The Boys, Gretchen Wilson has returned to where she began with I’ve Got Your Country Right Here, which is exactly where she belongs. Welcome back, Gretchen.

Sounds Like:
Gretchen Wilson From 2004-2006

Track Highlights:
“I Got Your Country Right Here”
“The Earrings Song”
“Blue Collar Done Turned Red”

The Verdict:
Four Stars Out Of Five

Review by Chad Carlson. Chad is the Editor of SteelTownRock.com, Pittsburgh’s New Music Authority. To contact Chad, reach out to him at chad.carlson(at)steeltownrock.com