Billboard single reviews: Paisley, Evanescence

ARTIST: BRAD PAISLEY

SINGLE: LETTER TO ME

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The third single from Brad Paisley's shimmering "5th Gear" is among the best songs to hit the country format in years. That might sound like exaggerated praise, but one listen to this composition will win over the masses. The conversational lyric finds Paisley writing a letter to himself at 17: "You got so much going for you, but I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night/I wish you'd study Spanish, I wish you'd take a typing class. I wish you wouldn't worry, let it be/Have a little faith and you'll see." His performance is tender while the song is filled with slices of Paisley's life that find him reflecting on people and moments that shaped him.

ARTIST: EVANESCENCE

SINGLE: GOOD ENOUGH

A look at Evanescence on paper reveals a band that should be in its glory. Following a Billboard 200 No. 1 debut for its 2006 album "The Open Door" and the top 10 launch single "Call Me When You're Sober," the group toured the world for nearly a year. So what happened? Single follow-ups "Lithium" and "Sweet Sacrifice" never even charted in the States. The fourth single from "The Open Door," piano-driven rock ballad "Good Enough," is as intense and affecting as anything before it -- and this time, Amy Lee's lyric steps from the dark side, reveling in the relief of positivity:

ARTIST: STEVIE WONDER

SINGLE: SHELTER IN THE RAIN

Stevie Wonder could hardly be considered a prolific artist anymore -- his last album, 2005's "A Time to Love," was his first in a decade -- so any new release is notable, if only by default. However, "Shelter in the Rain" is a spectacularly beautiful composition, produced with a standards-quality template. Wonder gets busy here, not only writing and producing, but furnishing keyboards, synth and bass. Other elements also court royalty, with Narada Michael Walden on drums and a choir arranged by Kirk Franklin. Proceeds from the single go to the Wonder Foundation for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The lovely melody, inspiring chorus and instantly recognizable vocal make this a strong bid for the urban adult-contemporary and smooth jazz radio formats.