Shiver
Now here's a dilemma. Jamie O'Neal, who arrived in Nashville by a circuitous route that wound through Australia and Las Vegas, could forge an entire career as a talentedJo Dee Messina/Faith Hillclone. "No More Protecting My Heart" sounds exactly like the kind of L.A. bubblegum that Messina virtually exercises to in her videos, and it's impossible not to conjure the image of Hill on the shimmering seduction of "Shiver." But here's where the dilemma starts. Though this album marks her debut, O'Neal is a fully realized performer with a Ferrari of a voice. She's also an arresting and original songwriter. Example: "There Is No Arizona," a resonant, almost disturbing tale of broken promises and love denied, set to a sultry blues. There's nothing else like it on country radio, but chances are, O'Neal has lots more offbeat gems stashed where that one came from. Will she follow the road less traveled or the guaranteed path to megawatt success? The next album tells the tale.--Alanna Nash