Search - Sawyer Brown :: Can You Hear Me Now

The Problem with Hearing

T. Yap | Sydney, NSW, Australia | 07/02/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In the early 1990s, Sawyer Brown could do no wrong. They kept churning up hit after hit. And it's not a mystery why: they have the guts to deal with real-life issues such as struggling farmers ("Cafe on the Corner"), infidelity ("All These Years"), fatherly affections ("The Walk"), and really fun issues about falling in love ("Some Girls Do"). The band certainly had caused it's dent in country music, and rightly so. However, as with many artists from the 80s and 90s, as soon as the millenium turned, they were struggling at radio. The harder the struggle, the less inspired they were. This new CD, in all honestly, is a disappointment. While Sawyer Brown had always been on the cutting edge with their kind of rock/country music, on this CD, they have just recycled what they have done in the past. To make matters worse, the melodies this time round are not that strong. With its numerous rock tunes, this CD at times sounds like bad 70s rock."I Need a Girlfriend" is a cheeky attempt to carbon copy "Some Girls Do," but unlike "Girls" it fails to have a strong melody line. "She's An I've Got to Have You Girl" is as clumsy as the title suggests. As the band progressed through time, Sawyer Brown has had become more and more serious, perhaps trying to move away from the boyband image. They have succeeded in the past with inspirational odes such as "The Walk," "The Dirt Road," and the underrated "Homestead in My Heart." This time around inspirational songs abound: the best of which is "Hard Hard World"--a nice tribute to love in the midst of tribulation. The song is set at a slower pace--which gives the listener a break after the numerous uptempo numbers. "Circle," the debut single from this album, cleverly plays around the metaphor of circles, a symbol of unity. It's perhaps one of the most meaningful songs on the CD. "I need a Plan" is Sawyer Brown in more gospel territory; the song is upbeat and positive but again not too memorable. Overall, there are some pleasurable moments on the CD, but they are far and between. Maybe Mark Miller (the lead man of the group) is just trying too hard. Maybe more outside songs (for the best of the songs here are not written by Miller, "Circles" and "Hard Hard World") would help and a fresher production that's more adventurous might do the group good. Here's hoping Curb Records will give the boys another chance. They have potential."