It’s not everyday that I walk around the music store, looking the country section for the next big thing I can listen to. While I certainly have no problem humming to a track here and there and it is always fun to confuse people when you know country music — if you don’t expect that from you — it loses its appeal beyond that and of course, staring at a few of the starlets on CMT, a little embarassed you know the songs at all.

I’m not sure what gave Michelle Branch the idea that what her career needed was a jumpstart in the COUNTRY direction, but, she and friend and backing singer Jessica Harp have arrived in the form of the country group, The Wreckers.

The funny thing is, it works. The two starlets voices are not just polished, but they clearly work well together — also not a big surprise — as a duo and give a very accessible, pop-country album that isn’t going to defile country radio, yet, could attract crossover fans.

In addition to the track, “The Good Kind”, that made its debut on the TV show “One Tree Hill”, other standout songs on the release include “Rain”, “My Oh My” and “Leave the Pieces”.

Some reviewers are calling this band a mix between The Dixie Chicks and SheDAISY. But, I think that’s selling The Wreckers short. (Not that those bands are bad…just different) This is a clearly rock-influenced release, that’s rooted in country.

If The Wreckers play their cards right, they could be the sort of crossover darlings that make their way into country, rather than the ones who start there and seek an exit to pop crossover land as soon as possible. Especially with the Dixie Chicks unceremonious exist from the bosom of country music fandom after criticizing the Iraq war in 2003.

You can tell that these artists are happy about what they are doing, they don’t overdo their debut release at all, making this a country album worth picking up.