leilamaurizia
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Post by leilamaurizia on Jan 29, 2009 9:54:53 GMT -5
Rating the new album... (Disclaimer: I can't get through the whole thing and that's not necessarily a knock on the album. It's just the end of a long day for me.)
WARNING: Spoiler alert! I mention some lyrics. The comments I put are the exact same "opinions" I included with my rating on the survey. I'll post in yellow so those who don't want to get spoiled can avoid my post. Highlight of you want to read.
Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong - "Everyone falls down, everyone crawls now and then, then they get up again, You cry if you want to, that's what we all do, But if you think you'll never move on, you're wrong baby wrong..."
Yet another self-help song from Martina wrapped up in an overproduced package. It's probably not a good idea to release this as a single considering that "Anyway" and "Ride," not to mention "For These Times," are some of the most recent singles.
I Just Call You Mine - Meh. I like it better than "Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong," but it's forgettable. I might have liked it more if the instrumentation wasn't as overpowering.
Sunny Side Up - Beatles-esque. Cute.
Walk Away - So far, I like this one the most. Pleasing melody, verses beautifully sung... BUT, the chorus gets loud and then the electric guitars and belting come. It had potential. Emphasis on "had." Dann Huff is one of the producers, yes?
I'm Trying - Love this one. Martina's voice at the forefront, simple guitar accompaniment, sad. (My first 5/5 rating, in comparison to the other songs, of course.)
What Do I Have to Do - The way she sings "What do I have to do" reminds me of how she sings "Where would you be." Doesn't sound country... at all, which I wouldn't mind if it was really good. Other than that, I don't really have an opinion.
Don't Cost a Dime -
... 5 more to go.
I'll stop there for the moment. I might be doing the album a disservice by rating in my current disposition. I may be being unintentionally harsher than I would normally be and I'm definitely not paying close attention to the lyrics.
ETA: Ooops, lost my chance to finish my ratings. Now, it says the "next rating cycle is coming soon." My session must have expired or something. All for the better as my initial impressions may likely change after a few more listens.
Might as well post your opinions, dudley. Looking forward to reading them.
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Post by 43dudleyvillas on Jan 30, 2009 13:39:43 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your thoughts on Martina's songs, leilamaurizia. I'll hold off on mine until you have run through all of the tracks and commented. In the meantime, a few informational notes on the new Martina songs; these are known titles, with songwriter credits in alphabetical order where available: "Wrong Baby Wrong" (Stephen Liles/Robert Orrall/Brad Warren/Brett Warren) "I Just Call You Mine" (Jess Cates/Ty Lacy/Dennis Matkosky) "Sunny Side Up" (Martina McBride/Brad Warren/Brett Warren) "Walk Away" (Nathan Chapman/Liz Rose/Jesse Sheely) "I'm Trying" (Darrell Scott/Tia Sillers) "What Do I Have to Do?" (Michael Dulaney/Tony Martin/Neil Thrasher) "Don't Cost a Dime" (Mark Abramson/Josh Kear/Chris Tompkins) "Ride" (Michael Davey/Andrew Dorff/Christopher Robbins) "You're Not Leavin Me" (? Hillary Lindsey/Gordie Sampson/Troy Verges ? I'm not sure about this one) "Wild Rebel Rose" (Mark Abramson/Josh Kear) "Lies" "I Just Call You Mine" was previously recorded by CCM artist David Phelps, whose version you can listen to here. "I'm Trying" was previously recorded by Kevin Sharp and also by Diamond Rio (in a duet with Chely Wright). From ASCAP it also appears that Martina recorded "Might As Well Be Making Love," the Hillary Lindsey/Gordie Sampson/Troy Verges track that is on Jessica Simpson's Do You Know, but it looks like the track might not have made Shine. "What Do I Have to Do?" is not the same song as the one on Crystal Shawanda's album.
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josh
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Post by josh on Feb 13, 2009 12:43:59 GMT -5
Wow! The video for ride is very, very similar to Madonna's Ray of Light video from 1998.
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joey2002
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Post by joey2002 on Feb 13, 2009 13:15:45 GMT -5
^ that's a brilliant idea to post the spoiler notes in yellow like that!!! : )
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someguy
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Post by someguy on Feb 16, 2009 8:26:09 GMT -5
Martina on the album, from Country Weekly's site:
“I’m so excited about this music and this time in my life,” she says. “Creatively, I have a renewed energy and I feel like this album reflects that.” The 10 months she spent making Shine with producer Dann Huff, she says, reminded her of the fertile period in the late 1990s when she was making her hit albums Evolution and Emotion. “That was such a creative time for me, with this crazy energy and creativity,” she recalls. “I felt so passionate about those records and I feel the same way about Shine.”
That's really encouraging to me, because she referenced 2 of my 3 favorite Martina albums (the other being Wild Angels, with I guess Martina coming next). For some reason I have really high hopes for this album, that it could be the one that returns Martina to the top of her game. "Ride" is still my favorite of her singles in years.
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cufan7
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Post by cufan7 on Feb 22, 2009 11:29:19 GMT -5
^ that's a brilliant idea to post the spoiler notes in yellow like that!!! : ) It really is! :o
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Post by 43dudleyvillas on Feb 25, 2009 16:24:10 GMT -5
Might as well post your opinions, dudley. Looking forward to reading them. Sorry, leilamaurizia, for the delayed response to your invitation. I wanted to wait until the album tracklisting was final, and then I got lazy. I'm not going to yellow out my thoughts as leilamaurizia did, so spoiler-phobes, beware! I should also note that for anyone interested, I wrote down the lyrics for all of the songs on Shine. I'm not posting them here because they would take up too much space (and my album thoughts run long as it is). But if you're interested, I can PM them to you. OK, so on Shine... It's a head-scratcher of an album for me, because I don't hear a signature Martina tune on it. The album strikes me as stylistically unfocused, and the material lacks the personality and creative energy of what Trisha Yearwood and Lee Ann Womack (two other great interpretive country singers) have released lately. Martina sounds as capable as ever as a vocalist and I love the timbre of her voice, but the material is frequently weighed down by lyrical platitudes and generic descriptions of emotion. "Ride" had me thinking that Martina might be going for that 80s arena pop-rock vibe on the album, and I am pleased to say that's not the case. Instead, the songs on the album seem largely a sonic continuation of Waking Up Laughing, albeit with a stronger electric guitar presence thanks to Dann Huff. But there is a dropoff in the quality of the lyrics on Shine. Martina has always excelled, I think, in the role of wise and tender observer. The tenderness is there on this album, but the wisdom and the observations run shallow. Shine starts out with "Wrong Baby Wrong," a song that is somewhere in the sonic and lyrical space between "Cry, Cry ('Til the Sun Shines)" and "Everybody Does" (probably a bit closer to the former than the latter) on WUL. The guitar work is sharper here compared to those two songs. Martina turns in a relaxed vocal here that conveys a friendly indulgence, so she does sell the lyric. But the production gets to be a bit much toward the end of the song, especially with the aggressively driving percussion at the end. Lyrically, the song is your typical 'don't worry/cry it all out/this, too, shall pass' fare, and it is a little distracting that it apes the "wrong, baby wrong"/"gone baby gone"/"long baby long"/"cry baby cry"/"fly baby fly"/"why baby why" scheme that we've seen in other songs. Still, it rolls along smoothly, it's reasonably catchy and it is probably the most engaging of the "up with people" songs on Shine. I can see this becoming a single. "Ride" is, of course, another of the 'up with people' songs, but there are two more on the album... "Don't Cost a Dime" and "Sunny Side Up." Both of these songs embrace that Beatles pop vibe that the WUL press release touted for "How I Feel." I didn't hear the vibe so much in "How I Feel," but I definitely hear it in these two songs. Both "Don't Cost a Dime" and "Sunny Side Up" are blithe, blindingly shiny songs about smiling and loving your way through any tough times. The tough times are only glancingly referenced, though, to the point that these songs feel especially far removed from today's darker realities. I'm not sure that lyrics like "Today everything is sunny side up/I'm hangin' on to happy/And pushing my luck/You're looking at a girl/Who's looking at the world/As sunny side up" and "It's a big world to walk through, honey/And if you got love, you don't need money" play too well in the current climate. They both seem too precious and cutesy to me. Then there's the power ballad cluster (they're not consecutive on the album). All three songs are standard adult contemporary pop with pleasant and catchy melodies depicting big emotions, but at arms length. They are: [/b] a song previously recorded by CCM artist David Phelps. It's a well-sung devotional song praising God that could double as a slobberingly submissive ode to a loved one described as everything from home to someone who turns winter into spring to, most awkwardly, a standing ovation. In fairness, the lyrics work better (at least for me) if interpreted as praising God, but I still don't believe they do so with eloquence or maturity. * "Walk Away", whose lyrics are your standard 'Although it's hard, I must leave you and you must let me' fare. The song suffers from a lack of specificity about what went wrong in the relationship or why it is hard to leave. It also suffers from some predictable rhymes (e.g., "I can't stay, let me walk away, walk away, baby" and "As sure as we're both standing here/I can see it all so clear."). Surely Martina is smarter than these lyrics. The song features a predictable but well-controlled glory note followed by the predictable moment when the instrumentation is suddenly scaled back to focus on Martina's voice. * "What Do I Have to Do?", a song about a woman trying to escape her emotional attachment to her ex. The lyrics are just a series of vague and unevocative variations on that message. There are also a couple of non sequiturs (one in the chorus, one in the second verse). The chorus goes "What do I have to do?/Where do I have to go?/To get you off my mind/Leave you behind/Give me a sign/What do I have to do/To make me stop loving you?" -- asking the person she's addressing to give her a sign that will help her get over him doesn't make any sense to me. And if she is suddenly addressing someone else (like a higher power), that's a sudden and unflagged turn.[/ul] The album standouts are two songs that differ in style. The first is "I'm Trying," a song previously recorded by Kevin Sharp and by Diamond Rio in a duet with Chely Wright. This is the one song on Shine that has the emotional intimacy that made songs like "I'll Still Be Me" and "Love Land" on WUL work. I think the song is held back somewhat by a dreary melody (especially on the "I'm tryin'" lines), but Martina's performance of this conversation between a recovering alcoholic and his wife rings emotionally true for me. The other album standout is "You're Not Leavin' Me," a bluesy rocker. Martina sports some attitude as a sassy woman informing her husband that he doesn't have the strength to stay away from her, no matter what he says. It's a catchy tune, and should be a single. That said, the melody strikes me as a paler version of that from Trisha Yearwood's "Heaven, Heartache & the Power of Love," and I think Trisha's vocal on that song is more compelling. That leaves two songs. "Wild Rebel Rose" is a bit of a retread of "Concrete Angel" lyrically, as it makes reference to what the titular character wears to hide the abuse s/he suffers and how the people notice something unusual but don't do anything about it. However, this story ends differently than did "Concrete Angel" (I won't spoil it) and the lyrics are focused more on the narrator's guilt as an observer, albeit again at arms' length. It is a decent song on its own, maybe a bit repetitive in the melody but with a nice outro. Predictably, the song gets transformed into an overdramatic and overproduced power ballad about ninety seconds in, but gets dialed back about fifty seconds later. I don't know...I think this song would have had more impact for me if it were something new for Martina. Maybe as I hear this more I'll be grateful that the song goes for suggestive over descriptive. Although considering what happens in the song, I'm not quite sure that works. Anyway, I'll be interested in hearing others' thoughts on this (and on the rest of the album, of course). The last song on the album is called "Lies," and it's this hushed, dramatic and dark song sung from the perspective of someone who is painfully not over an ex. I like the lyrical approach in the song...it's a series of false assertions about reality (e.g., "Lemons are sweet as honey/Usually life is fair/Purple's a shade of money/And Jesus doesn't care.") that lead into a series of false descriptions of the person singing ("I don't walk these halls/And I don't climb these walls/Every night.") capped off by her singing "Lies." I could have done without two-line bridge that spells it all out, but oh well. So it's a neat song...not country, but no matter. Except...Martina is clearly reaching for the lower notes in the verses and stylistically, this song sounds to me like it would be better suited for Faith Hill. Still, Martina sounds beautifully delicate and vulnerable on the chorus. And that's the album. I can't argue with Martina's vocals, and I do think her phrasing has relaxed somewhat from WUL, so that's good. But I really don't get the song selection for this album; it feels out of touch with Martina's depth as an interpretive singer and with what I'm looking for in terms of emotional connection with the music.
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Blake
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Post by Blake on Feb 25, 2009 16:35:37 GMT -5
McBride is such an astute businesswoman in terms of her touring and business exploits, so I'm always flabbergasted by the banal material she peddles. In my mind, she's someone who could be on the cusp of making the Hall of Fame one day. Recording songs of this (lack of) substance may merit a couple radio hits, but it severely hurts her legacy.
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Blake
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Post by Blake on Feb 25, 2009 16:45:30 GMT -5
I'll also note that the power of positivity is wearing thin on country radio. I understand that the format rests on faith, but a number of artists sound disconnected from the current climate. I just don't see how this hopefulness will lift listeners out of the doldrums and influence them to buy albums. Too many unrealistic pick-me-ups nowadays. I mean, "Ride" sounds really nice on the radio, I admit, but it's not the type of song that would stir me to buy a Martina album if I were a casual fan. What's the point of spending advertising dollars and having a Top Five single if it's not driving people to purchase?
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Post by fe_lipeoliveira on Feb 26, 2009 16:53:01 GMT -5
Funny, the first time I heard that song I thought "Martina would make it sound like a wife in a fading wedding, not like a teenager claiming for sex (as it sounds actually, in my point of view)". I also thought Trisha would make it even better and more convincing, but that's wonder too much, cause the song doesn't match Trisha's level.
But it'd be nice to hear Martina singing it. I hope it as some b-side or extra track.
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Post by 43dudleyvillas on Feb 28, 2009 9:17:00 GMT -5
Fans and the curious can check out "I Just Call You Mine," "Wild Rebel Rose," and "Sunny Side Up" at Martina's MySpace page.
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austin
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Post by austin on Feb 28, 2009 14:31:22 GMT -5
Fans and the curious can check out "I Just Call You Mine," "Wild Rebel Rose," and "Sunny Side Up" at Martina's MySpace page. I didn't like either of the first two songs, but I am really liking "Sunny Side Up".
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leilamaurizia
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Post by leilamaurizia on Mar 22, 2009 11:34:56 GMT -5
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Marv
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Post by Marv on Mar 22, 2009 23:41:16 GMT -5
It was exactly seven years ago this week that 'Blessed' replaced 'The Cowboy In Me' @ #1 @ R&R, and that was her last charttopper, IIRC.
She'll edge closer to the top ten this weekend at Mediabase/Country Aircheck when Keith Urban & Brooks & Dunn go recurrent, and I wouldn't be surprised if she passes John Rich's very toxic & risky song; some PDs and consultants issued warnings about his song in recent issues of Country Aircheck when it was released, so it might not go much higher.
Heck, Ms. McBride could reach the top five, but that will take a while.
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drock89
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Post by drock89 on Mar 22, 2009 23:56:11 GMT -5
I'm just not impressed with much on this album.. I'll try to get a full review up soon, but I'm gonna guess the last Martina single I was fully on board with was "Anyway." And no offense to rowdawg, but the best song on Waking Up Laughing was a Timeless left over and bonus track, "Blue Bayou."
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lyrichord
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Post by lyrichord on Mar 23, 2009 7:21:24 GMT -5
You know those TV shows where the parent tries to act cool but ends up making their kids cringe in embarrassment? I feel like this album is the musical equivalent. Martina's trying to sound "contemporary" and "rock and roll," but the result is weirdly unappealing.
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Ten Pound Hammer
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Mar 23, 2009 13:38:43 GMT -5
Martina's trying to sound "contemporary" and "rock and roll," but the result is weirdly unappealing. Agreed.
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alexb
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Post by alexb on Mar 23, 2009 14:41:57 GMT -5
it pains me to say this cause I love Martina (believe me, I want to lie to myself), but the last album had lots of crap on it (the 1st half was totally skippable) and this new single is no good either.
Too bad such a great voice is going into these vapid, lazy songs. Bring back the old Martina whose albums were awesome from start to finish.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2009 17:35:43 GMT -5
I don't post anymore on here because Martina is my favorite singer period and the hatred shown to her makes me wish your favorite singers were never born.
Piece, love and goodbye once again.
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alexb
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Post by alexb on Mar 23, 2009 18:10:17 GMT -5
I don't hate her in any way shape or form. I do hate that I'm paying good money for her last 2 CD's and getting 4 good songs out of 11 though.
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Wrecking Ball
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Post by Wrecking Ball on Mar 23, 2009 20:57:45 GMT -5
I just heard her entire CD on aol. I love it, she did a great job IMO
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thescene
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Post by thescene on Mar 23, 2009 21:21:11 GMT -5
I have the CD on my shopping cart but based on some of th reviews I might just take it off.
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Wrecking Ball
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Post by Wrecking Ball on Mar 23, 2009 21:25:06 GMT -5
I don't get why people are hating on this, I thought it was quiet good. I mean I'm listening to this on AOL and every song I get to I've wanted to have. I started listening to this thinking I'd like maybe one or two songs and get them on iTunes but I love the entire CD. if you want to hear it before you buy it you can here: music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/2
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musicbuff78
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Post by musicbuff78 on Mar 23, 2009 22:17:36 GMT -5
From what I've heard it's one of her best albums probably since her GH.
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sbp17
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Post by sbp17 on Mar 23, 2009 23:47:18 GMT -5
I don't post anymore on here because Martina is my favorite singer period and the hatred shown to her makes me wish your favorite singers were never born. Did you really just say this? I generally see people acknowledge liking Martina but not liking her recent music. I've not seen a lot of negative comments made toward her but about her music. Martina used to easily be my second favorite singer poised to take over that top spot when Reba finally retires. But her last couple of cds have bored me to tears. It's not caused me to hate Martina but rather, become apathetic to her. Having said that, I do think this cd is better than her last couple of efforts. In fact, a lot better. I'm going to have to listen a couple of more times to give a full review but I am liking this upon initial listen.
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alexb
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Post by alexb on Mar 24, 2009 11:08:26 GMT -5
from what I've seen, most reviews seem to settle in the 3 star area. I'm inclined to settle on that myself. 2 great songs (Wild Rebel Rose, I'm Trying - best song on this CD where her voice truly shines and you can feel the emotion- this to me is vintage Martina) and the rest are take them or leave them.
Maybe its my bias of course, but I'll never see Martina as a rocker, so hopefully that experiment will go no further.
For the next album, get a guitar, get some introspective songs and let her have at it.
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Eloqueen™
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Post by Eloqueen™ on Mar 24, 2009 11:32:06 GMT -5
Wild Rebel Rose, Lies or Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong should be her next single.
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Wrecking Ball
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Post by Wrecking Ball on Mar 24, 2009 11:58:29 GMT -5
I like Walk Away and I'm Trying
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Zazie
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Post by Zazie on Mar 24, 2009 12:11:55 GMT -5
I doubt I'll ever hear this album, but I'm interested in Martina's version of I'm Trying, which made me take a few deep breaths when I heard the D Rio and Chely version. I own that one, so I don't need another -- but I am interested in what makes Martina's version work, if you think it does. Does she avoid over-the-top vocals? Is the arrangement simple? What is she doing?
Any sign would be welcome that Martina's range of performance still includes what she used to do so often. I haven't heard anything in the ballpark of Happy Girl in so long, not counting the Timeless venture. And I'm sure this counts (to some) as being a hateful post, but I'd be a Martina fan again if she just gave me a little sign.
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austin
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Post by austin on Mar 24, 2009 12:47:37 GMT -5
I listened to (or atleast attempted to) the entire CD (thanks for the link, singer262). I still believe the far and away best track is 'Sunny Side Up'. I don't think it's a single, but I think it is different for her and it works.
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