Right in the Middle of Night (Polygram, 1996)

This is a solid follow-up to Chely Wright's "Woman in the Moon." "Heart Shaped World" is an uptempo radio song, as is the title track. "Right...," written by Wright, is a driving fiddle tune touting the strengths of a non-Hollywood love. In the tender ballad department is "What I Learned From Loving You," Wright's personal favorite and co-written by Russell Smith. Perserverance is the theme in "Day One," sung in Wright's gorgeous voice of strength and hope. The album closes with a recipe for bringing compassion back into a relationship ("Gotta Get Good at Givin' Again"). It slips some social consciousness into the proceedings before the snappy guitar hook fades into the sunset. Her personna here sums up a healthy attitude about leading life with sense and sensibility, and good dependable musical instincts hold her in good stead.