So Good Together

by

Reba McEntire

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I am not a big fan of country music. So when I purchased Reba's latest album "So Good Together", I didn't know what to expect. Yet, after listening to the CD, I must say my thoughts on Country music have change. Reba shines on most of the songs, with her unmistakable voice leading the way. Key songs include the top ten smash "What Do You Say" which is an empathic tale of parenting. It's video is truly heartbreaking. Reba delivers an emotional performance that will force you to bring out the Kleenex. On "I'm Not Your Girl" (co-written by the great Shelly Peiken), the message is simple, and Reba sings exactly that way. The simplicity of Reba's voice on this song makes the message of the song that much more apparent. However, the albums best song is "I'll Be". Written by the Decade's greatest and most prolific songwriter Diane Warren, the song is quite reminiscent of another country hit two years ago "How Do I Live". Warren uses very sentimental lyrics and puts them to a memorable melody. Reba shines on this song, feeding off the touching theme of the song and interpreting it into her voice. The production is just right, grand but not over the top, allowing Reba's voice to shine and not those sometimes aggravating strings that tend to shy listeners away. This song certainly has tremendous potential to hit the top of the country charts and once again establish Reba as a powerhouse at country radio. Overall, each song is carefully crafted to show different sides of Reba and although all the songs may not be as monumental as "I'll Be", this is certainly a record that fans of Reba will gobble up and those who are not big fans of Reba should at least give a try.

I can take this or leave it. The first song is so terrible that it almost made me want to throw the CD in the trash. "So Good Together" was just plain awful. Loud noise..that's all it was. But things got a little better. Some of the songs on here are pretty good. They are mostly ballads the best of which are "Before the War", "Roses", "I'm Not Your Girl" and "We're All Alone", a cover tune done with some Mexican guys by the name of Jose and Durval. That last one is actually very, very good!! Overall this Cd is a mixed effort that could have used more imaginative production.