'100 Proof' is Kellie Pickler's Most Personal and Touching Album

On Jan. 24., country music star Kellie Pickler released her third album, 100 Proof. Pickler originally gained her stardom after reaching the top six in American Idol at the age of 19 and signing immediately with BNA records. An artist of humble background, Kellie Pickler has made a lot of headway since she first auditioned in Greensboro, N.C. for a spot on American Idol. Although she has not quite reached the stardom of female country music stars Carrie Underwood (another former Idol) and Taylor Swift, her songs should not be overlooked. Being from the country music-loving city of Nashville, Tenn., I first heard of Kellie Pickler with her golden single "Red High Heels." The song's extremely catchy beat and lyrics seduced me and I am not ashamed to admit it even appeared on a couple of my homemade mixed CDs.

Pickler's new album is her most personal yet, especially the song "The Letter (To Daddy)" in which she addresses her in-and-out-of-prison father. The song "Tough" contains lyrics about her life growing up, one in which Pickler's mother abandoned her at age two, after which she lived with her grandparents. The lyrics, "I wanted lace, I wanted pearls, to be a princess like / The other girls / But life came hard to my front door" are intense and more personal than her songs from other albums. Pickler's new album pays homage to her country music idols like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, while also exposing some inner demons. The song, "Turn on the Radio and Dance" is one of the more uplifting songs of the album and has a good melody and sound that country music lovers can enjoy. This simple song contrasts with her more emotionally charged songs "Tough" and "The Letter (To Daddy)."

We can assume that the song "Stop Cheatin' on Me" is not about Kellie Pickler's newlywed husband Kyle Jacobs, who helps write some of her songs. "Cheatin'" has an old-time country sound, but the message is a little desperate and probably the worst of the album. Any woman who finds herself singing this song seriously should take a step back and realize that these words leaving her mouth are probably the reason why someone is cheating on her. Pickler has been noted as saying that her relationship with Jacob is more embodied in the song "100 Proof," which contains lyrics "We'll go home and lay down safe in the arms of love / And we'll dance all night long on the edge of can't get enough." It seems that the album has a wide variety of subject matter, ranging from "Mother's Day" about being abandoned as a child, to "Unlock that Honky Tonk," in which Pickler sings about getting a country band and some alcohol together for a good time.

While Kellie's songs have previously been praised for their nice melodies and catchy lyrics, in 100 Proof, with songs like "Tough" and "Mother's Day," Kellie proves that she has depth too. After a more than troubling childhood, Pickler can thank her parents for giving her material and motivation that has translated into a successful music career. Existing Kellie Pickler fans will not be disappointed with 100 Proof, an album that gives fans further insight into her emotional background, while also providing some catchy country gems. For country music fans, Pickler's producer (shared with Miranda Lambert and Lee Ann Womack) and her tribute to older female country idols give 100 Proof's more traditional sounding songs worth checking out.

I will venture to guess that Kellie Pickler's songs will not be discussed in 50 years' time, so those that passionately dislike country music should not spend a minute listening to 100 Proof. In the entire scheme of music history, her songs are minor, and I find her occasionally anti-feminist lyrics a little off-putting. All this in mind, I cannot say that I will hate listening to 100 Proof play in the waiting room when I visit my dentist in Nashville this summer.