Evolution
Martina McBride's fourth RCA album may not be her best work, but it remains a state-of-the-art '90s pop-country album, filled with insouciantly catchy melodies, flawlessly smooth production, and some genuinely memorable material. The 1997 set is balanced between earnestly romantic tunes like "Here in My Heart," midtempo acoustic songs like "Be That Way," and quasi-feminist numbers like "A Broken Wing," which rivals "Independence Day" for her most focused, soulful performance to date. The album might have benefited from more judicious editing: the cutesy opening snippet, the superficial "Keeping My Distance," and the gooey "Valentine" feel out of place on this mostly well crafted, emotionally sung work.--Roy Kasten