Trisha Yearwood - Jasper County

         Album review by Cheryl Harvey Hill  
Photographer: Russ HarringtonIn the October issue of Redbook magazine, Trisha Yearwood is quoted as saying, "I'm just stupidly happy. I had no idea life could be like this", and the joy she now has in her life just might be reflected in her song selection on Jasper County, an album dedicated to the county in Georgia where she grew up and the place she still calls home.

This is Yearwood's first studio album in nearly four years and I couldn't wait to get this CD in my player. I was sure there would be at least one song from the multi-platinum, multiple Grammy award winning artist that would take my breath away; but, much to my dismay, there wasn't. Now, mind you, I'm not really complaining. The album is quite good from start to finish but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't hoping for at least one emotional pull on par with "How Do I Live."  Alas, the closest Yearwood comes on this CD is when she harmonizes with fiancé Garth Brooks on the heartrending "Georgia Rain." She gives her voice the biggest stretch on this track but the electricity that flew when they sang together on "In Another's Eyes" is barely evident on this go round. Despite that fact, this is one of my favorite tracks on the album and the song is still plenty good enough to get her back on the charts, and back on radio, where she has been sorely missed.

Regardless of the lack of drama and vocal extensions, there is much to like about the over all album and Brooks isn't the only talented person who harmonizes with Yearwood. Beth Nielsen Chapman and Wes Hightower blend their voices nicely with hers on "Trying to Love You," a song co-written by Nielsen and Bill Lloyd; Leslie Satcher joins Hightower to bring the perfect harmony to "River of You," Jon Randall provides just the right vocal blend to compliment the entertaining harmonica and "leg slaps" delivered by Jessi Alexander on the toe-tappin', "Baby Don't You Let Go," and Ronnie Dunn delivers flawless vocal harmony on the chorus of "Try Me."

Jasper County is reflective of a more light hearted, spunkier, Yearwood. That fact is most noticeably demonstrated when she so easily conjures up the perfect blend of attitude and sass to convey a hillbilly rocking song like "Pistol", but I hope the vocalist that Entertainment Weekly called "one of the finest interpretive singers ever," knows that we are counting on her to interpret in a way that, we've come to know, only she can.

www.TrishaYearwood.com



Trisha Yearwood - Jasper County track listing.

1 Who Invented The Wheel 
2 Pistol 
3 Trying To Love You 
4 River Of You 
5 Baby Don't You Let Go 
6 Standing Out In A Crowd7 Georgia Rain 
8 Sweet Love 
9 Try Me 
10 The Good Stuff (Black Coffee & Tear Drops) 
11 It's Alright

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