Various Artists - Totally Country 4 (17 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Solid album of Nashville country hits

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 02/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Volume 4 of this series scoops up another 17 mainstream country hits across multiple labels, providing a one-stop shop for catching up on recent chart action. There are no real surprises here (which would be tough to do, given the radio exposure these cuts received), but these songs were hits for a reason: they stand up to repeated listening. The one really different sounding song is the R`n'B styled "Heaven" from Los Lonely Boys. It's hard to imagine why this would be a country hit, but it sure is catchy! If you like this cut, be sure to check out Los Lobos, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Santana and others.

Highlights abound, including Alan Jackson's wishful "That'd Be Alright," Gretchen Wilson's hell-raisin' "Red Neck Woman," Toby Keith's warm Saturday-night anthem, "I Love This Bar," and George Strait's cover of Bruce Robison's terrific "Desperately" (check out the original of the latter on Robison's CD "Wrapped," along with the original of "Angry All the Time"). Buddy Jewel's "Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey's Song)" shows the Nashville Star winner to have a confident, easy style not unlike George Strait.

Kenny Chesney's breezy "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" and Blake Shelton's Jimmy Buffet styled "Some Beach" make a nice pair placed back-to-back, and even farther down-tempo there are ballads that include Brad Paisley's "Little Moments," John Michael Montgomery's touching war-time "Letters From Home," Gary Allan's "Tough Little Boys," and Clay Walker's "I Can't Sleep."

As should be expected, many of these tracks cross-over into other genres. Big & Rich's "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," features Western-themed lyrics and edgings of banjo and fiddle, but it's basically a pop-rock song. A good pop-rock song, but heavier on the power chords than the Carter Family probably every struck up. Similarly, Sara Evans' "Perfect" plays her superbly country-tinged voice against guitars and drums that are more power-pop than Opry acoustic.

This is a nicely programmed disc that gives modern country fans a chance to hear their favorites without commercial interruption!"

I think this is great

Jason W. Metz | Nebraska | 11/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I happen to listen to all kinds of music and I agree with the person before me on the excellence of this compilation. I heard it in my dads truck and I thought this was just a great collection, I "rocked" to it while helping a buddy move to his new place."

Beach Balls, Boots, and Other Good Stuff

Plastic Salmon | 05/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the fourth release of the "Totally Country" series, which offers a package of 17 relatively new country hits (relatively new at the time the album first became available) that were frequently played on the radio. Most of these songs were on Billboard's country singles chart the preceding year (2003).

This album starts out with Alan Jackson's fast-paced "That'll Be Alright", a semi-traditional dance song with fiddle in the background. Gretchen Wilson follows with her debut hit "Redneck Woman", a bouncy, kick-it-up introduction to what she is all about. Much later on is "Heaven" by the new group Los Lonely Boys, a mellow rhythm-and-blues style country hit.

Several of these songs deal with guy losing his girl and having trouble coping with the aftermath. Clay Walker vividly describes a severe case of insomnia after his girlfriend leaves him in the melancholic "I Can't Sleep"; Joe Nichols paints his girl's departure as the devil in "Brokenheartsville"; and George Strait presents a remake of Bruce Robison's "Desperately", a tale about despair after his lover abandons him. Both of these versions are excellent, and they are both popular in Texas. Check them out side-by-side and compare them.

The slow-tempo song "Let's Be Us Again" by Lonestar, is a plea by the couple to get back together and try to understand each other after having some difficulties. Another slow song about relationships is the more positive "Little Moments" by Brad Paisley, where little imperfections and quirks are the things that make marriage worthwhile. Sara Evans performs a high-energy song about these acceptable imperfections in "Perfect". Parent-child relationships are covered in a gentle sounding "Tough Little Boys" by Gary Allan and the semi-traditional "Help Pour Out The Rain" by Buddy Jewell. There is also the timely soldier ballad "Letters From Home" by John Michael Montgomery.

The hillbilly pop/dance hit "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" by Big & Rich is an attention-getting item that is a good pick in honkytonks. Get out your boots and Stetson hats and party to this one. Montgomery Gentry's "Hell Yeah" is another favorite accompaniment to wild parties or downtown bars. This track depicts what goes on during these events. Just don't let your own party get out of control like the one in MG's video of this song. Things are toned down in Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar", where he lists all the positive aspects of the place: the patrons, the dancing, "no cover charge, come as you are", lack of dress code. Of course, there is no mention of chicken wire to protect the singer from all the horseplay that frequently occurs in this type of establishment.

In "Some Beach" Blake Shelton performs a humorous reggae-styled poem describing the frustrations of dealing with people's rudeness or lack of compassion and his desire to retreat from it all by going to a quiet tropical island. Kenny Chesney already has found such a place where "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" is the policy in this island song.

All the tracks in this album are great. They come in a variety of styles and all were played on country music stations and many were also seen in videos on CMT or GAC. It is likely that they will be included in country music rotations for a long time. This album deserves 6 stars but gets just 5 because the scale only goes that high."

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