LeAnn Rimes might be making some of the best music of her life, but songs like her new single 'Borrowed' won't help her threadbare tie to radio. The first single from her upcoming 'Spitfire' album tells the story of the early days of her romance with Eddie Cibrian. A more caustic subject may not exist.

"I wanna hold out, but I hold on / Even though I know it's wrong / Cause I don't want to give you back / I don't wanna give you back / You're the best I ever had / So I don't want to give you back / But you're borrowed," Rimes sings, begging for mercy or sympathy as she ventures down a road with a married man.

The first she's granted, as Cibrian eventually left his then-wife Brandi Glanville and married Rimes. The second, sympathy, is something all but her most devout fans will have trouble finding.

Those ignorant to Rimes' tabloid cover romance would have no trouble embracing 'Borrowed' in the same way country music wrapped its arms around 'Stay' by Sugarland. This song isn't quite that good, but it's not far off. Raw emotion inspires a brilliant vocal. The production is undeniably country -- in fact, it's getting more and more difficult to question this singer's dedication to the genre. Gone are the days of 'Can't Fight the Moonlight.'

But one roadblock remains: LeAnn Rimes' much-talked-about personal life. With 'Borrowed,' she reminds us all of how she met Cibrian and divorced Dean Shermet (something confirmed in an interview with ABC), just when -- maybe -- public sentiment was shifting ever so slightly.

"Do you tell her that you love her / Like you do me / Do you make love to her / The way you make love to me," Rimes sings during the second verse.

There's a clear double standard when it comes to how male and female country stars are treated after an indiscretion. It's not right, but it's also not new. Releasing 'Borrowed' may be cathartic for the singer, but no matter how artistically sound and beautiful the song is, it's awkward... like a lump in your throat when you're trying to enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie.

3 Stars
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Listen to LeAnn Rimes, 'Borrowed'

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