Dreamer

This young Oklahoman suffers no sophomore jinx, as his second album boasts more power, command, and range than the debut that spawned his breakthrough hit, "Austin." With another hit ballad, "The Baby," Shelton again displays his mastery of the heart-tugging story song, while anthems such as "Heavy Liftin'" and the madcap adventure of "Playboys of the Southwestern World" demonstrate his affinity for more muscular fare. "In My Heaven," "My Neck of the Woods," and "Georgia in a Jug" confirm that his country roots run deep, with the production by veteran songwriter Bobby Braddock combining banjos and fiddles with screaming rock guitars and the most contemporary studio technology. The title song and centerpiece of the collection is Shelton's bittersweet reflection on his career, the dream that he wasn't quite prepared to see come true. Yet the confidence he displays on the rest of the CD suggests that he's learning to live with success just fine. --Don McLeese