When Lauren Lucas was at Belmont University in Nashville, she cut a demo that found its way to the Warner Bros. offices. Invited in for a chat, she left with a record deal, got a debut single -- "What You Ain't Going to Get" -- released and found herself nominated for a New Faces award by the Academy of Country Music. She went back into the studio and finished her first album.

And then the dream crashed. A shakeup at Warner led to the album being shelved and Lucas being dropped. The crashing of the dream served as a wakeup call for Lucas. She set about developing her writing skills and working to define herself as an artist, recognizing that she was going to have to take much more control of her career.

This five-song EP is her first step on the road back, and when she reaches the airwaves again -- and she will; there is too much talent here for that not to happen -- she'll be in a much better position. If I Was Your Girl shows that big corporate record companies frequently have their heads somewhere other than on the ball, that they do not always consider talent when deciding which artists to get behind and which to get rid of. The EP shows how easy it is for a singer to get lost in the bureaucratic maneuverings.

Lucas can sing the paint off of your car door. She can write and she can produce. She can also assemble a fine supporting team and take advantage of the creative input of people she trusts. Above all, she knows how to make records that linger in your head long after they've finished playing.

If I Was Your Girl is a fine first step. I look forward to seeing how Lucas builds on it in the future.

[ visit the artist's website ]