Cool Me Down (Curb, 2002)

At a time when it seems like every other female country singer is aiming to become a diva princess, Jenai sounds like she just wants to sing like a girl. "Cool Me Down" has no power ballads, female empowerment anthems or clichT-ridden odes of eternal fidelity. Instead, Jenai swings with "Pappa Don't Ask, Momma Don't Know" and "South Side Swamp," she rocks (but not too hard) on "Little Unlucky At Love" and "Cool Me Down," and then reveals her softer side on "Time To Dream," which flows sweetly over a gently trickling stream of organ and pedal steel. She even carries a torch on "Written On My Heart," which is especially jazzy - which should come as no great surprise due to the fact that the jazz-leaning Shelby Lynne's name is listed in the writer credits.

Jenai rolls out a wide range of vocal emotions here, from the sexy come hither tone of "Cool Me Down," to the wry and humorous Mary Chapin Carpenter-like approach she takes with "Don't Hold Back Your Heart." Chances are if you gave this girl a pair of prissy glass slippers for the ball, she'd merely kick 'em off and run barefoot instead.