The Metropolitan Hotel
The centerpiece to this sixth album by soulful country balladeer Chely Wright is "The Bumper of My S.U.V.," a song about the sort of patriotism that runs deeper than partisan sniping and that will therefore likely hit home with listeners on all sides of the political divide. As the album's primary producer and songwriter, Wright takes control of her artistry here, with material that has more depth and a sound that is less polished than what often dominates the airwaves. The narrative ambition of Wright's "The River," which featuresVince Gillproviding vocal counterpoint, merits comparison with theBruce Springsteensong of the same title, while the prickly relationship detailed in "Between a Mother and a Child" is too painful not to ring true. Lightening the mood is a romp throughChuck Berry's "C'est La Vie (You Never Can Tell)." With the opening "It's the Song" (written by Bonnie Baker andKatrina Elam), Wright puts the emphasis on the strength of the material, and proceeds to deliver, with a selection devoid of filler.--Don McLeese