All Jacked Up

by

Gretchen Wilson

Edit

Ever since the release of her enormously successful debut album "Here For the Party" in mid-2004, Gretchen Wilson has been on a rollercoaster ride at the speed of light that includes incessant touring and press. Consequently, the conspicuously quick release of her sophomore effort, "All Jacked Up," which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, is indeed surprising. Where did she find to co-write and record another LP so quickly? It's a tough question, but the most important thing here is that the new material is just as solid as her debut.

The title track and lead single begins the collection on a caffeinated note, finding Wilson drinking more liquor than she can handle one night in a bar. As a result, she subsequently scuffles with a girl of "10'2" and a bad attitude," not to mention backing her car into a traffic light to the delight of the townsfolk. She also sings of her delight for cowboys in "Skoal Ring" and speaks her mind about the Golden State in "California Girls" with her sense of humor on full throttle.

"There ain't nothing wrong with plastic surgery/Well, Dolly Parton never looked so good to me/Everybody oughta be exactly who they want to be/But that Paris Hilton gets under my skin/With her big, fake smile and her painted-on tan/Never had a chance at a real man."

Still, this record isn't all fun and games. "Politically Uncorrect," where Wilson trades lines with singer/songwriter Merle Haggard, finds her rooting for the underdogs of our nation, proclaiming she's "for the low man on the totem pole." She tackles a similar theme on "Full Time Job," where she tips her hat to those who have the most difficult occupation of all: Mothers.

"It's the hardest gig I've ever known/I work my fingers to the bone/Yeah, the dishes and diapers never stop/Lousy pay, there ain't no 401k/I know this may come as a shock/But this here's a full time job."

Other key tracks include "Not Bad For a Bartender," where the Pocahontas, Illinois native remains wide-eyed at her recent fame, her realization of how coldhearted women can be on "He Ain't Even Cold Yet" and puts herself first in the near-breakup ballad "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today."

Although she may be bordering on too much ubiquity and her image is cliché, the quality of "All Jacked Up" proves Wilson is indeed no flash in the pan. There is no doubt that she is a talented writer and song stylist, and will continue to make solid records for a long time to come.

The DualDisc version of the album includes interview footage, a photo gallery, all the songs in LPCM stereo and the music video for the title track.