What exactly do you label this? Pop-country? New country? Just good old modern pop? Some may debate the virtues of labels, but you've got to get a handle on things somehow, and for this debut project, the "new country" moniker fits as good as any (though it's in danger of going the route of "alternative").
In any case, Lucky Ones falls on the atmospheric side of things. Ballads predominate. In places, it's not too far from Twila Paris with some lush keyboards and subdued accompaniment. But there's just enough twang in Kelita's voice and in the guitar that you don't lose your way. The album also dives into the traditional gospel sound on occasion, but manages to keep listener attention up even there, with tasteful backing electric guitars and a tenor saxophone solo (in "I'm Ready").
Lyrically, the high point comes in "Change Of Life":
There is no warning There is no message No phone call in the night No information Or explanation No writing on the wall in sight But the ache inside will haunt you And you think that you'll lose your mind
This, and her emotive voice combine to paint a wonderful portrait of the "still small voice" of God.
Spiritually, this release stays in the large swath cut by other country performers who share the faith. It doesn't attempt to cram the whole Bible into a three-minute song, but looks at things through the lens of everyday life. Some songs are just slice-of-life observations without any spiritual content; others speak markedly of Kelita's faith. Again, with the music-as with a lot of things-you can miss the forest for the trees. What we have here is a solid, tasteful production, and a down-to-earth person sharing her life and God's truth through music.
