Kellie Pickler released her second album this week — a eponymous, relaxed, and occasionally humorous set of tracks where she got to take her sweet time and call her own shots. And, frankly, it’s amazing.

I’ll be honest: I loved Kellie on AmIdol, but I wasn’t a big fan of her first album. I’ve been listening to her sophomore effort for a couple days now, and I LOVE it. It’s a fantastic country album, and she has a lot to be proud of.

“It was so rushed and, honestly, now that it’s out and I can be honest about it, there are songs on there I would never even cut,” says Kellie of her first album, Small Town Girl. “It’s so good to finally say ‘Here I am! This is the real me, the real deal.”

Kellie co-wrote half the tracks on the album.

“I started songwriting after ‘Idol.’ I tried before but I hadn’t mastered it,” she said. “I think the key is to be real, to be honest. When we started to pull things from my journal — whether it was a bad breakup or a fight with a friend or a personal struggle with my family — that’s when everything started to click. When I tried to make up some fictional story, I wasn’t good at it. The only thing I’m good at is being me.”

She penned the melancholy “Somebody to Love Me” after a particularly painful split.

“Everything in my personal life was crumbling. I’d go out and sing in front of 50,000 people and then get on my tour bus and cry. I was lonely. I just wanted someone to love me,” said Pickler, who had a well-publicized relationship — and breakup — with Jordan Tootoo of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and is now dating one of her co-writers, Kyle Jacobs.

Anyway, I really can’t say enough good things about this album. I’m really digging it, and I think she did a great job. Congrats, Kellie. I always knew you had it in ya.

Say what you want about her intellect, I admire her spunk. You gotta watch this.

Oh, wait.

This is Kellie Pickler.

Hm.

It’s hard not to feel bad for Kelly Pickler. She used to be a naive, but lovable, little trailer park gal. Now she’s been handled and rebreasted. Sadly, her daddy hasn’t caught up with the vibe and remains true to his roots:

ALBEMARLE, N.C. (AP) — The father of former American Idol contestant Kellie Pickler has been arrested again, accused this time of stealing older abandoned and disabled vehicles and illegally selling them to scrap yards.

Wow. You have to admit that’s a pretty crappy thing to get arrested for. If Pickler’s poppa had gone down for meth at least there would have been some honor there. But stealing abandoned vehicles, presumably from the neighbors concrete blocks in the front yard, is sad times.

Authorities have charged Clyde Pickler, 42, who finished a three-year prison term in Florida last year for stabbing a man, with three felony counts of larceny of a motor vehicle and one felony count of obtaining property under false pretense, according to court records.

Oh, wait, he stabbed a dude and was in the joint for that? Hmmm… I may have to rethink this one. Okay, here we go, Pickler’s dad is still doing crime (and will do the time) but at least he’s transitioned to non-violent offenses. So it looks like Pickler’s star is on the rise!

At the CMT awards in Nashville today.

They’re kind of lopsided, my darling. And what have you done with your hair? Is that how people do their hair for prom in Albermarle? Because you haven’t lived there in a really long time, sweetheart, and this ain’t prom.

Carrie Underwood looks precious. A newly single Bucky Covington made an appearance, as did Taylor Swift, looking killer in a super-cute dress.

Oh hells no! Britney removes K-Fed from her top 12 on MySpace. That’s what you get for writing mean things about her on shower walls, Kevin. [Faded Youth]

Kate Moss and Pete Doherty are turned away from the London world premiere of Casino Royale, after someone very wise determined that perhaps Queen Elizabeth should not share a red carpet with a world-renowned cokehead. [Agent Bedhead]

Madonna confirms that she plans to adopt a baby girl from Malawi, in order to “redress the balance” in her family. Madonna says things like “redress” because she’s British. Oh wait. [Dirty Laundry]

Donald Trump is going to be a grandpa. Sadly, it’s not because Lance Armstrong knocked up Ivanka. [The Bosh]

Madame Tussaud’s unveils the new Ashlee Simpson wax likeness. What’s that? Oh, I’m told that’s actually Ashlee Simpson. [Celebrity Smack]

Okay, so, in college, some friends and I determined that Sexual Misadventures with Kimmy Gibbler would be, hands-down, the best band name ever. My reasons for mentioning this now are twofold. First, it’s still true, and someone should get on that. Second, Bob Saget actually makes reference to sex with Kimmy Gibbler in this clip of his stand-up, where he sings “Danny Tanner Is Not Gay” to the tune of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want it That Way.” [BWE]

Are you ready to masturbate to sneakers? Reebok sure hopes so. They’ve hired Scarlett to co-create a line of footwear and apparel and star in the ad campaign. [IDLYITW]

Finally! It’s time for the Reese Witherspoon love interest rumors! Up first: Jake Gyllenhaal. [Hollywood Grind]