She should've named this album "cross on over," because Lauryn Hill's album is just about as country western. Come On Over is nothing if not a toe tapper, and at first I had it pretty much pegged as a paint-by-numbers collection of harmless honky tonk'n rockers, that borrowed a little too much from the Bonnie Raitt estate. I went in knowing that I really liked "Still The One" which is one of the more likable pure-pop songs of the year, but after the first listen through I wasn't terribly impressed. I spun it again and thumbed through the liner notes, quite surprised to learn that she writes all of her songs (which is about as common in the Country Biz as tie-dye) and after a closer listen I realized that as usual, I was wrong. It's a pretty impressive record. "From This Moment On," her ballad with Bryan White made me wish that she would've taken things down a notch on a few other songs--the full-bore rockers don't allow her much of an opportunity to show us her soft underbelly. Slower songs are usually a clearer window to the soul and I would've preferred more of that. Overall it's a fun pop record, that might have profited from a little less bluster and a little more breathing room.