Greatest Hits, Vol. 2

by

Tim McGraw

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McGraw's second hits collection contains 16 tracks, half of which come from 2001's Set This Circus Down, 2002's Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors and 2004's Live Like You Were Dying. Those albums found a more mature McGraw appreciating life ("Live Like You Were Dying"), a buddy ("My Old Friend"), and his woman ("Watching The Wind Blow By," "She's My Kind Of Rain"), plus exhibiting an increased sensitivity ("Grown Men Don't Cry").

McGraw also reaches back to the era of the first hits collection to include the chart-toppers "Not A Moment Too Soon" (1994) and "Everywhere" (1997). Eight other top five hits have yet to be anthologized, including number ones "Angry All The Time" (2001), "Unbroken" (2002), as well as McGraw's strongest vocal performance to date, "One Of These Days" (1998). The other omitted hits include "Refried Dreams" (1995), "Can't Be Really Gone" (1995), "All I Want Is A Life" (1998), "Back When" (2004), and Do You Want Fries With That" (2005).

Two collaborative hits are making their debut on a McGraw album and both sound out of place: the rapper's delight "Over And Over" with Nelly and the Faith Hill-dominated "Like We Never Loved At All." Much better are the new four new recordings, two of which - "My Little Girl" and "I've Got Friends That Do" - McGraw co-wrote (his first self-penned recordings). Hopefully, as his musical horizons expand, McGraw will provide us with more quality compositions in the future.

If you love Red Neck Country music you'll love this album. If you are looking for something with variety and depth you will be sadly disappointed. I don't know who put this collection together but they clearly don't hold any truck with the new fangled trend for male Country singers to show a softer side.

Seriously though, this is stylistically a very narrow album for a best hits album. Use the listen facility here at Amazon to make your own mind up, but this album is like having a meal that only tastes of one thing. Its good initially but you'll end up wanting something different before you finish.