Ashley Ray (Show Dog  -  Universal label, 2010)

Ashley Ray's five-song EP kicks off with a country-twang tune, My Kind of Mistake. A listener is put in the mind of something sensation Carrie Underwood might sing and is enhanced with banjo picking and the moan of the steel guitar. Ray, a 25-year-old Kansas native, co-wrote this melody and did a good job of playing on words with lines such as "You got a line like a drug, and a smile just like a noose." Another standout is Dirt Cheap with Mike Eli of the Eli Young Band and is co-written by Luke Bryan.

Along with these songs of sass, This Time Around blends in with most country songs of love, loss, and moving on, and is easily forgettable by the end of this short record's end. Although Figured it Out displays, its plain-Jane fashion leaves little to be desired. The more rockabilly Loved by You finishes up things with a bang and leaves a fan wanting more.

Ray's only downfall is the fact that her vocals sound so much like those of Miranda Lambert and Underwood, both of whom already hold a solid place in Nashville's music row. It leaves one to wonder if there is room for another with such a similar style.