On her debut album,
When You Lie Next to Me, vocalist
Kellie Coffey comes across like a more approachable
Faith Hill -- her polished country-pop is every bit as urbane, yet it doesn't feel as glamorous, a little more down to earth. It's an appealing sound, especially since her voice is warm and friendly, and this is produced as professionally as it can be from Dann Huff, who keeps
Coffey's voice at the forefront, letting certain flourishes -- the occasional steel guitar run, a little bit of keyboards and guitars -- peep out from the warm wash of the instrumental backdrop. With repeated plays, the best of these songs -- whether they're pleasant mid-tempo numbers like "At the End of the Day," ballads like the title track, or light rockers like "Love's Funny That Way" -- sound like they could be staples on adult contemporary radio, which is what they were designed to do, after all. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine