Shania Twain - Up! (2002)

[thenewclassic]

Released on November 18, 2002, this was Shania's 4th studio album and the last album co-written produced with her ex-husband, Mutt Lange. The album was a 2 disc-set with a red CD containing pop versions of the songs and a green CD containing the country versions in the US. Internationally, the album was released with the red/pop CD and a blue CD containing "international mixes" of the songs was released with it instead of the green/country disc.

The album had 19 tracks and sold 5.5 million copies in the US, certifying it diamond since it was a double album (making it Shania's 3rd consecutive diamond album) and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.  The album contained hits like the lead single, "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!", "Forever and for Always", and "Up!".  This would be the last studio album Shania would record before releasing her most recent studio album, Now, in 2017 (15 years later).

What are your thoughts on this record? 

For me, it's not as good as Come On Over  or The Woman In Me but still contains a bunch of jams.  It amazes me how Shania can write some silly/corny-ass lyrics, but still make them bops lol.  Then, she writes and sings great classic songs like "Forever and for Always", which I've decided will likely be my wedding song if I ever get married. Queen. <3

[God]

Fun, breezy, effortless; she sounds genuinely happy n carefree but the majority of these 19 songs are surprisingly weak. I appreciate the Eastern influence here and there ("Ka-Ching!" - exclamation point would've been my own if not for Shania's foresight) but she'd obviously already reached the limits of her artistry and there was nowhere to go but, well, not up!

[someguy]

It's not The Woman In Me or Come On Over, but I really enjoy this album. There are some great album tracks on here that may have worked on pop a couple years earlier, but wouldn't have a chance in 2002-2004.

[Ginger Spice]

Up! was obviously a little over-ambitious given the long tracklisting, on top of having three versions of every track. But there are some really good pop songs in there. Even on the weaker tracks, Mutt's production really comes through (on the red album, at least). I listen to this one in full more often than The Woman In Me, though not as often as Come on Over.

I always thought the green mixes felt a little forced (she was clearly writing pop songs at this point, the country instruments thrown into these mixes feel a little gratuitous to my ears). The blue mixes were, as I said earlier, ambitious, but for the most part, tragic.

[mamooshka]

While it didn't break new ground, it has its highlights. Anything she released as a follow-up to COO would have paled in comparison.

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[#LisaRinna]

Never got into this album except for the lead single. I love Come on Over, but this did nothing for me as a follow-up.

[brady47]

Honestly, I felt this was a great follow up to "Come On Over"

"It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing", "Forever and For Always" "Ka-Ching!", "Up!", "When You Kiss Me", "I'm Gonna Getcha Good" were amazing highlights on the album.

[someguy]

As were "Nah" and "In My Car (I'll Be The Driver)", as well as "I'm Jealous" and "When You Kiss Me". Great album.

[bat1990]

I'm listening to the Green Version for the first time since 2002 today.

It's both better than I remember and also sounds more on par with 1999/2000 rather than 2002/3. I can see why they made the Red disc and mostly promoted those versions.

The blue version is just weird but a few of the tracks are okay. If I had more time to really sit with the three versions, I'd love to compile a best of R/G/B version.