Waking Up Laughing (2007)

After a roots detour in '05 with Timeless, Martina McBride was drawn to tackle slightly grittier fare upon returning to her AC-crossover forte. Waking Up Laughing neatly adds some country-rock fiber to her usual sunniness, even if a few songs flag. ''Anyway,'' one of 2007's great singles, sets country's most powerful pipes against moody strings, ''Heart of the Matter''-copping guitar riffs, and a tough lyric that acknowledges the potential futility of even the most unswerving love and compassion. It's the year's most optimistic song, or the most fatalistic...or, remarkably, both.