Search - Jack Ingram :: This Is It

IF THIS ISN'T IT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS

Alan Dorfman | DELRAY BEACH, FL United States | 03/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With Keith Urban good looks and John Mellencamp's heartland, heartfelt vocal sound, Jack Ingram has been on the cusp of country stardom for a while now waiting to explode his way out of the Texas scene like The Dixie Chicks and Pat Green (finally) have done. And with his new CD "This Is It" he's got the dynamite to blow him up big time.



He can handle all tempos - up, mid and down - will confidence and sincerity and displays an uncanny ability to choose the right songs whether it's "Love You" with it's hot video, the touching song about finding love "Ava Adele," the story of reconciliation between father and son when the son becomes a father "Measure Of A Man," the optimistic denial of "Maybe She'll Get Lonely" or the winning country cover of Hinder's rock hit "Lips Of An Angel."



And that's just part of goodies here as Jack Ingram makes the move from the Lone Star State straight into the country mainstream with "Wherever You Are," the uptempo scorcher "Easy As 1-2-3 (Part II) and the plain brilliant "Hold On" which certainly sounds like a hit to me.



Lately I've been accused of being a record company shill when I give a 5 star rating and I honestly tried to find fault with this CD but only one song got less than an "A" rating and that one was an "A-minus." That's how strong "This Is It" is.



I know you're going out to pick up the new Tim McGraw this week so do yourself a favor and take home the Jack Ingram while you're at it. He gives every indication that he can become the megastar Tim already is. Definitely not a pretty boy in a cowboy hat you can't distinguish from 100 others, Jack Ingram IS the real deal.

"

THIS IS IT!!!

J. Corum | 03/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being a huge Jack Ingram fan for years, I was afraid his first major release would be too "nashville made." Thankfully, Jack delivered another "real" Jack Ingram cd. He deserves his place with the major acts in country music because he paid his dues and held his ground-never sacrificing his style for what is being played on radio. Fortunately, radio has gotten a taste of him over the past year and this cd will most definately deliver more hits. Lips of An Angel is the surprise hit of the year. No doubt, the rock group, Hinder, is proud of Jack's version-especially since they are benefitting from the royalties.

It's hard to pick the standouts on this cd-they are all outstanding.

Noteworthy are: Measure of a Man, Hold On-w/ Sheryl Crow, All I can Do and the sweet-Ava Adelle (inspired by the namesake-his daughter).

If you have never bought a Jack Ingram cd-buy this one. Then, go back and add the rest to your collection.



"

The boost he's needed

DanD | 03/28/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jack Ingram's first studio "radio-friendly" release, THIS IS IT, is rather surprising. Not the fact that it ever got released (Ingram is finally a radio star), but that it is actually good.



You see, Ingram has always been one of the best artists on the scene. It's just that he wasn't playing the big-leagues. He's that guy with the hidden talent who always gets picked over in gym class, until he reveals how truly talented he is. THIS IS IT's first three singles were good--even Ingram's atrocious rendition of "Lips of an Angel" is catchy as hell--but they weren't "Jack Ingram." Hell, the talented songwriter didn't even write them. It was a pure delight, then, to open up the CD booklet and discover that Ingram wrote or co-wrote six of the tracks. Elsewhere, Ingram relies on other writers (namely Radney Foster, Trent Summar, and Todd Snider), while adding his own touch to the songs that ALMOST makes them his own.



The overall effect is thus: a CD that is slightly disappointing to Ingram's legion of long-time followers, but an album that isn't a complete and total sell-out. "Lips of an Angel" aside, this is an album that Ingram might have written/recorded a few years ago, with maybe a more rock-induced sound. His barroom vocals sound slightly out of place here, but there's no denying the fact that THIS IS IT is Jack Ingram's introduction to stardom."