Gretchen Wilson: “One of the Boys”
Producers: Mark Wright, John Rich, Gretchen Wilson
Columbia Nashville
Release Date: May 15
As expected, there’s plenty of ass-kicking country on Wilson’s third album, but it’s her softer side that sets it apart. “The Girl I Am” and “To Tell You the Truth,” two songs that she co-wrote, expose a more vulnerable Wilson. “Heaven Help Me,” another co-write, includes the lyrics “I have wounded those that love me and refuse to take the blame/I have hidden all my demons but I cannot hide my shame.” The steamy “Come to Bed,” which features John Rich and offers a pleasant alternative to a domestic argument, is perhaps the album’s best cut, although the stone country “Pain Killer” is also strong. Elsewhere, the title track/current single finds Wilson balancing her rough and tumble persona with her softer side (“I know I don’t act much like a lady, but I still need to be somebody’s baby”). –Kristina Tunzi