accessAtlanta

COUNTRY

• Faith Hill

(ENLARGE)
Faith Hill: 'Fireflies'
MOST POPULAR STORIES Police: Jeffrey Donovan arrested, suspected of DUI Report: Abdul's return to 'American Idol' doubtful Beastie Boy Adam Yauch has 'very treatable' cancer Fallon's '7th Floor West' is a silly, soapy treat Chris Brown apologizes for Rihanna beating
EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR

"Fireflies." Warner Bros. 14 tracks.

Grade: B-

"Fireflies" is being touted as Faith Hill's return to her country roots, but the Mississippi gal has never been big on twang. Her catalog has more pop moves than most of her contemporaries. And while "Fireflies" does feel more country than slick predecessors "Breathe" and "Cry," it's really just a better fusion of her country and pop tendencies.

The upbeat shuffle of "Dearly Beloved" is drenched in mandolin and fiddle, and Hill sounds like she's having a blast. The problem is that nothing else on the album displays the joyous country stomp of that track. It makes you wish for more just like it.

The slow to mid-tempo pace can be wearying, and Hill's warm voice doesn't always alleviate the dullness. When she sounds uninspired by the material, that voice is a technically proficient but personality deficient instrument that would be the envy of an aspiring "American Idol." It's to her credit that, unlike those "Idol" types, she rarely overdoes it.

Every once in a while, she reminds us what she can do when inspiration strikes. On "If You Ask" and "Wish for You," her velvety lower register and her perfect phrasing elevate otherwise unspectacular ballads, miraculously evoking the soulful Dusty Springfield.

For all the talk of a re-countrification, Hill still soars when she takes on a big pop hook dressed up in rural clothes. The breezy bounce of opener "Sunshine and Summertime" may be the perfect blend of her two sides.

Now that she's seemingly reconciled her pop and her country, maybe next time she can pick up the pace.

— Shane Harrison