This incredible album almost leaves me speechless. Every single song is just terrific; I have never heard an album that is this consistently good from start to finish. I have only recently discovered Sara Evans, so I am hearing all of these songs for the first time. Maybe if I had heard a song or two on the radio before buying the CD, I would not be so amazed by her voice, but somehow I doubt that. I'm sort of going about this thing backwards--I started with Born to Fly and then I quickly moved to purchase this album. I still haven't heard the first album, but I will be buying it very soon.

It is a joy to hear lyrics that are not only discernible but also so emotional and powerful. Whether it is fast or slow, each song seems to really mean something and to actually affect me in some way. "The Knot Comes Untied" is a particularly moving song, as are "No Place That Far" and "Time Won't Tell." "Love, Don't Be A Stranger" and "The Great Unknown," while faster paced, also speak to universal themes like love, discontent, and hope in effective ways. Being a fan of "real," old-timey country music, I especially like the songs on the second half of the album, songs like "These Days" and "Cupid." "Cupid" is the real gem of the collection for me; featuring George Jones, this is country music at its best: "twangin' and sangin.'"

I don't really listen to country music, so I feel very fortunate indeed to have discovered Sara Evans. As many fans as she must have already, I have to believe that there are untold numbers of people in the world who would love this music but who may never be lucky enough to be introduced to it. If you're reading this review and wondering if you should take a chance on buying this CD, let me urge you to buy it. This is a voice that can touch your very soul.

Sara Evans clearly displays her versatile singing style on this album. From emotion packed ballads like "No Place That Far" and "Time Won't Tell" to the more lighthearted "The Great Unknown" and "Fool, I'm a Woman", Sara touches a spot in the hearts of many. "No Place..." is especially recommended to those with a newly broken heart. I found that it's an excellent source of strength to get through the day when "memories are like mountains and each one gets harder to climb". "No Place That Far" is definitely Sara's breakthrough album. Her new and upcoming album, "Born To Fly" should exceed the success of "No Place That Far"--based on the first single, "Born To Fly". It's a great song!!

The above sentence seems contradictory, so I will explain. I absolutely love Sara's first album, Three Chords and the Truth. I like it both because it is very well done and because it is very traditional country; a very rare combination in modern music. I was very disappointed in this album (at least the first half) the first time I heard it. Sara has obviously made her music more pop-ish to make it more appealing to a wider audience and to country radio. I like the second half of the album much better, which has a couple of great traditional songs (These Days and Cupid are out of this world!). After listening to the CD a couple of times the first half of it grew on me; it's not very traditional, but it is good music. I am sure that Sara is under pressure to record pop flavored, radio friendly music, but I hope she will at least keep recording some traditional songs too. There are dozens of singers who consistently produce good pop-country but so very few who produce great traditional country the way that Sara can.

After buying and enjoying Sara's two latest cds and seeing her in concert, I decided to get her first three. This is the first one I've listened to so far. And I love it!
Here's my rating on each song, on a scale of 1 to 10...
1. The Great Unknown - Great catchy tune. Really sets the mood for the rest of the album. 10/10
2. Cryin' Game - I know this was a single, but I'd never heard it til she sang it in concert. Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album. 10/10
3. No Place That Far - This was the first song I ever heard from Sara, and it still gets to me like it did then. 10/10
4. I Thought I'd See Your Face Again - This song reminds me of Patty Loveless. Could have been her song, but I'm glad Sara did it. 8/10
5. Fool, I'm A Woman - Love this song! Very clever and catchy. Can't go wrong with this one. 10/10
6. Time Won't Tell - A nice ballad. Not my favorite track, but it's a good one. 7/10
7. Knot Comes Untied - A bit rougher ballad. This one fits Sara better than the previous one. I like this one a lot. 9/10
9. These Days - Some nice harmonies on this one, but not the best song. Almost on the boring side, but not quite. 6/10
10. Cupid - Great fun, catchy song. I'm surprised I haven't heard this one before. 9/10
11. There's Only One - A country-gospel song. My least favorite on the album. Didn't do much for me, but not a bad song. 5/10
This is one of those albums I can let repeat after it's over because I'll definitely want to hear at least some of the tracks again. Can't wait to listen to some more Sara!

I would just like to start off with saying that Sara and her whole family are some of the most supportive people you could ever hope to know. I went to the same high school with Sara and her sisters, her music has always been this good. She is truly one in a million. And I think I speak for everyone who knows her, we are all behind her and wishing her great success in doing what she was put on earth to do, that being singing her heart out and giving us all chills while she does it. All I have left to say is keep doing what you do so well!