Local singer/songwriter/guitarist Karla Ruth's sophomore album "Exactly" is a delightful follow up to her debut 2001 album, "Hanging by a Thread." This poignant CD is a seamless fusion of pop, rock and folk, which Karla affectionately refers to as "reckless folk." Indeed reckless at times, often edgy, and loaded with hooks, the album is just what the doctor ordered for those who find themselves jaded by current MTV offerings.

The 10-track disc opens with "Road to Love," an upbeat cut featuring Karla's raucous alto vocals, Denny Gibbs on Hammond organ and Kerri Collings on drums. Karla's accomplished acoustic guitar licks and unique vocal delivery deftly capture that odd sense of vertigo that often accompanies being smitten: "It's a sudden distraction/Every time you come into sight/I just can't help but notice/You're watching me too." Nice contributions by John Baskerville on bass further propel the cut, while Dan Hummel on percussion seals the deal.

The bawdy track "Star" is about the harassment that females often face from the powers that be. This theme was explored at length by other artists, such as Alanis Morissette's "Hands Clean" and even Dolly Parton's "Nine to Five," but Karla's signature gift of lyrical gab laced with attitude sets this cut apart from those of her predecessors. Furthermore, a delicious alchemy is achieved on "Star" by the addition of fellow Cedar Valley singer/songwriter Jovita Long on velvety harmonizing vocals.

A nice change of pace comes in the form of the calypso-driven "Love Will Come Back." Expert Caribbean-flavored instrumentation by the Ruth team and proficient production techniques by Tom Tatman give this cut its innovative edge. Karla muses, "Seems hard to imagine/No sane person could fathom/Why you'd risk being hurt again/You say you're better off on your own/You're destined to live alone/And you don't think love will find you again/But you can't stop trying/'Cause there's one thing you can rely on/That love will come back your way." Even if the sentiments on this track are a bit cliche, the presentation of this familiar theme is far from formulaic.

On the closing cut, "Bad Girl Friday," Karla pulls out all the stops, with metal-ripping riffs that would stop Joe Satriani dead in his tracks. This cut showcases Karla's versatility and her innate ability to infuse a sense of playfulness into her compositions. However, I could have done without the "Jack Daniels is the only man who's never let her down" lyrics.

Weak spots on this album are rare, but the predictable title cut is one of them: "You're exactly what I need/You mean everything to me/You know me better than I know myself." This track is far too monotonous, and dare I say, vanilla? However, when considered in light of the rest of the offerings on the album, "Exactly" isn't a deal breaker.

Fans of pop-rock '80s vocalist Pat Benatar, '70s folk icon Joni Mitchell and even current soul star Tracy Chapman will find that Karla's genre-defying "Exactly" combines influences of all these artists, yet Karla's reckless style is completely her own.

The fact that work of this caliber is being produced right here in our midst adds an element of intrigue to the album. Karla's influence is also being felt outside of the Cedar Valley as well, as evidenced by the February 2002 Wall Street Journal, in which the lyrics to Karla's 9/11 tribute, "Remember September," appeared on the cover. Residents of the Cedar Valley have much to be proud of in Karla Ruth.

Vicki St. James is the mid-day air personality on Mix 96, 96.1 FM.