Album Review: Gretchen Wilson "All Jacked Up" (2005)

Gee Dub returns with her second release, hot on the heels of 2004's "Here for the Party", which took the country world by storm. Much like her first affair, it's largely hit and miss. The album starts off with the unsurprisingly trashy title track which describes what happens when you stop by the bar for a couple of ales after work but soon end up downing Jack Daniels on the way to closing time. We've all been there. Next up is an rollicking ode to curvy, fried-chicken eating women called "California Girls", a position I completely endorse, but after that, the album takes a turn for the worse. Here's a sample lyric from the tune "Skoal Ring":

I've always been a bandit girl and he's a long-cut man
Somehow we still get along with different colour cans
When that boy comes home from work smellin' like the farm
That berry blend on his lips still turns me on

Ok, the less said about endorsing tongue cancer, the better, while the absolutely AWFUL current single, "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" sounds like something Tammy Wynette left on the studio floor, and for good reason. Even a duet with Merle Haggard titled "Politically Uncorrect" can't save things. However, Wilson avoids a complete downward spiral with "Rebel Child" and "Raining On Me" towards the end of the disc.

Bottom line is this: If you like country, you MIGHT like this album, but if you don't really like country, you will absolutely and positively 100% hate it. It would make for half-decent background tunage for when you are camping, at the cottage or tailgating before a sporting event but that's about it.

Overall rating: 5.5/10