I Am Shelby Lynn — Shelby Lynn

By David Kenney

The country music crossover: for Garth Brooks, er, Chris Gaines, it was a lost-my-wife/truck/dog disaster, for Shelby Lynne though, it’s a sweet surprise.

Snubbed by country with her rolicking swing stomp, Lynne trades sides and goes for a R&B/Soul record.

Her southern drawl laces Aretha Franklin soul with enough pain to trounce an eight-foot wrestling behemoth.

And there’s more. Lynne tackles Sheryl-Crow-rock on "Life is Bad" and R&B frolic on "Gotta Get Back" without sounding out of her her element.

With the roving variety of songs, Lynne expertly crafts a pop album untarnished creatively or musically. I Am Shelby Lynne is a record that automatically goes on repeat.