Everything's Gonna Be Alright

By RICHARD CORLISS

The daughter of Nashville session man Fred Carter Jr. proves that her quadruple-platinum CD Did I Shave My Legs for This? was no fluke. Indeed, it was just a hint of Deana's daring, of her composing gifts and rangy taste: country, rock, power pop. In a sly, dry, sweetly froggy voice that weirdly suggests young Bobby of King of the Hill, Carter draws four-minute portraits of unfulfilled wives (Absence of the Heart), vengeful losers with an urge to arson (Dickson County), abandoned kids whose saving grace is not knowing when to quit (Angels Working Overtime). Twelve songs of hurt without despair are capped by Fred's title song, a hymn to hope despite all. Hope on, folks. In Deana's care, country music's gonna be alright.

--By Richard Corliss