Drops: 'River' runs into the mainstream

This is Blake Shelton's moment.

Between his high-profile marriage to the great Miranda Lambert and his star-making turn as a coach on "The Voice," the well-respected country singer is ready for his big crossover into the mainstream. His new album, "Red River Blue" (Warner Bros.), will carry him far.

The bona fide smash single "Honey Bee" shows Shelton's plan of attack -- a little Garth Brooks, a little Tom Petty, a great chorus and a whole lot of aw-shucks country flirting with "You be my sugar, baby, I'll be your sweet iced tea."

It's a mark he hits again and again on "Red River Blue," making him the non-Australian version of Keith Urban or the racier Kenny Chesney. Shelton is clean-cut enough to woo even the most righteous of ladies, but playful enough to declare, "We're gonna burn all afternoon like it's something to smoke" in "Ready to Roll."

He can pull off a party-hearty sing-along like "Get Some" ("You get gas, you get beer, you get drunk, you get weird, you get drove home," he good-naturedly drawls) as well as a touching ballad like "I'm Sorry" or the title track duet with Lambert, while still maintaining good-ol'-boy status.

"Red River Blue" is the kind of tradition-carrying, pop-leaning album that country has been waiting for -- the kind of album that can conquer blue states as well as red ones -- and Shelton is exactly the right singer to sell it.

Blake Shelton

"Red River Blue"

GRADE B+

BOTTOM LINE His "River" runs deep with country hits.