700 Miles

700 Miles is Mary Lee's Corvette's first batch of original material since the group's 1999 debut, True Lovers of Adventure, and it finds Mary Lee Kortes as a seasoned artist behind the mike. On this album co-produced by Kortes and her husband, Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, she appears more relaxed and content as a singer, matching the stunning simplicity of artists like Emmylou Harris and Shawn Colvin. Inside that calmness exists a peace of mind, allowing the tones of freedom and adventure to carry 700 Miles to a warm place while Kortes soaks up the sun and moon of these personal journeys. The funky blues-like stroll "More Stupider" teases a poker face, and such a humorous mood continues on the wispy heartland romp of "Haunting Me." Mary Lee's Corvette is keen in structuring its own brand of rock & roll, and it works well. No big production, no heavy rock numbers or machismo are needed in getting a message across. The members of Mary Lee's Corvette are pretty conventional in their approach, which lets 700 Miles cruise to its own vibe. Kortes and company have made an enjoyable record, and on the surface that's good enough.