Only two of the tracks here - the title track and Safe in the arms of love - were included on Martina's Greatest hits collection, but this is a fine collection of songs, so many of which sound like they ought to have been hits.

Martina McBride has recorded many fine albums, but I find this one particularly appealing is the use of traditional instruments (steel guitar, mandolin, fiddle) together will all the instruments normally to be found on nineties pop-country albums. Listening to this, nobody can be in any doubt that Martina is, at heart, a country singer, even if her music has plenty of pop mixed in with it.

The only oldie on here is Two more bottles of wine, a song written and first recorded by Delbert McClinton but which became better known after it was covered by Emmylou Harris. Emmylou's version first appeared on Quarter moon in a ten-cent town and was also a major country hit for her. Because of that, it has appeared on several Emmylou compilations.

All the other songs are originals and the general feel of the album on first listen is upbeat, partly because the songs are so catchy that any sadness is not always obvious from the music. There are sad songs here, notably Phones are ringing all over town and A great disguise. A song that sounds as if it ought to be sad, All the things we've never done, is actually not at all sad, but reflective and looking forward to a bright future.

You've been driving all the time is about female domination, but as is so often the case with such songs, it is immediately followed by a song expressing a woman's need for a man - in this case, Born to give my love to you.

This is a very entertaining album that clearly demonstrates why Martina is one of the finest and most successful pop-country singers around.

McBride has always had a stupendous set of pipes, but like many gifted singers, she didn't always know what to do with them. Previously, and afterwards, she mixed spot-on emotional outpourings (e.g., "Independence Day" from 'The Way That I Am' LP) with songs that just left her singing loud.

Not so with this release. Together with her co-producers she's picked an album full of stellar songs from some of country music's greatest songwriting talents. And with her band, and her big set of pipes, she blows through this material like a wildfire.

Two of Matraca Berg's finest ("Wild Angels" and "Cry on the Shoulder of the Road"), a Delbert McClinton classic ("Two More Bottles of Wine"), and a host of hope, heartbreak and personal growth (the moving "You've Been Driving All the Time") combine to form the best album of songs that McBride's likely to ever collect. Even ballads like Pat Bunch's "Born to Give My Love to You" are filled with McBride's wonderful power.

Perhaps even more noteworthy is the way in which the album makes itself friendly to the relatively non-country tastes of commercial country radio, while at the same time hanging on to much of the music's roots. There's plenty of steel, fiddle and mandolin, and the lyrical sentiment, from "Phones Are Ringin' All Over Town" to "Swingin' Doors" is dead-on country. It's a supreme example of where Modern Country might have gone, had it not quickly reduced itself to cloying Top-40 fodder.

Though her followup would go over the adult contemporary edge, playing on her powerful vocals instead of her ability to communicate powerful emotion, for at least a few moments, this one struck the perfect balance.

Only two of the tracks here - the title track and Safe in the arms of love - were included on Martina's Greatest hits collection, but this is a fine collection of songs, so many of which sound like they ought to have been hits.
Martina McBride has recorded many fine albums, but I find this one particularly appealing is the use of traditional instruments (steel guitar, mandolin, fiddle) together will all the instruments normally to be found on nineties pop-country albums. Listening to this, nobody can be in any doubt that Martina is, at heart, a country singer, even if her music has plenty of pop mixed in with it.

The only oldie on here is Two more bottles of wine, a song written and first recorded by Delbert McClinton but which became better known after it was covered by Emmylou Harris. Emmylou's version first appeared on Quarter moon in a ten-cent town and was also a major country hit for her. Because of that, it has appeared on several Emmylou compilations.

All the other songs are originals and the general feel of the album on first listen is upbeat, partly because the songs are so catchy that any sadness is not always obvious from the music. There are sad songs here, notably Phones are ringing all over town and A great disguise. A song that sounds as if it ought to be sad, All the things we've never done, is actually not at all sad, but reflective and looking forward to a bright future.

You've been driving all the time is about female domination, but as is so often the case with such songs, it is immediately followed by a song expressing a woman's need for a man - in this case, Born to give my love to you.

This is a very entertaining album that clearly demonstrates why Martina is one of the finest and most successful pop-country singers around. Now re-issued at a budget price, it's even better value for money.

Martina is petite but she has this huge voice. She seems to be growing musically with each new release. I like her version of "Safe in the Arms of Love" & "Wild Angels" is a neat song. If Wynonna is a bit much, listen to Martina's delicate flowing voice. Her music isn't just for the country music fans. "Evolution" is a good one too.

This CD is great and produced hits "Safe In The Arms Of Love", "Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road", and "Wild Angels" which is my favorite Martina song of all time. This CD is really a 4.5 but had to give it a 4 star so it wouldn't eclipse Evolution as her best. Buy this one along with Evolution and you will be hooked on Mrs. McBride!