Here for the Party

Gretchen Wilson is the kind of artist who lets you know exactly who she is. "Some people look down on me," she sings on "Redneck Woman," moments after big-upping Skynyrd, beer, and Kid Rock. "I don't give a rip." And while the song celebrates a caricature, the album proves that Wilson is way more: "When I Think About Cheatin’" is a devastating ballad, and "Chariot" climaxes with a Beasties-style rap. This party is full of surprises.