Backwoods Barbie

Available February 26

A few days ago Dolly Parton had to postpone tour dates due to a back injury. She issued the following statement to the press: "I know I have been breaking my neck and bending over backwards to get my new Backwoods Barbie CD and world tour together, but I didn't mean to hurt myself doing it." Underneath the irrresistable hamminess lies Dolly's trademark folksy wisdom, a reminder to everyone not to push themselves too hard and not to take themselves too seriously. No wonder people are starting to call her the Dolly Lama.

Backwoods Barbie doesn't hit stores and downloading sites till next week, but I got a chance to hear a complete audio stream of the album at famed gay blogger Perez Hilton's website (U can too if you visit http://perezhilton.com/2008-02-08-perez-hilton-presents-6). It's more mainstream and considerably less rootsy than her recent bluegrass albums The Grass is Blue and Little Sparrow. Compared to those landmark recordings this is Dolly lite. Which isn't a bad thing, mind you.

Backwoods Barbie boasts several fun upbeat tracks, from the opening number "Better Git to Livin" to the hilarious "Shinola" (where she tells a deadbeat lover that he doesn't know "love from Shinola"). My other favorite is the undeniably hokey but catchy "Cologne" - a meditation on the hazards of wearing scents when you're having an affair.

As much as I love her, Dolly rarely releases a CD that doesn't contain one or two stinkers. There aren't any total dogs here, but the covers of "The Tracks of My Tears" and the Fine Young Cannibals' "Drives Me Crazy" feel uninspired. Also, the bland closing track ("Somebody's Everything") ends this mostly worthwhile outing with a whimper.