As my reviews of his albums are an on-going look back from his first album to his most recent, I must begin by saying that, at least for me, "The Chase" was the album where Garth first began to show that his commercial marketing and familiar styling were replacing his genuineness.

By the time "The Chase" was released, Garth was firmly established as an artist. There was to be no question of his greatness, and certainly, no doubt of the success of this album. Perhaps in a need to maintain his momentum and his growth, or perhaps simply to continue to appeal to his massive and ever-growing audience, Garth released an album that seemed very calculated and, stylistically predictable.

"The Chase" is not a bad album at all...far from it, and by the standards of albums in release today, it is a great album. It contains all the elements of a marketable record and features some really great material. The problem is, Garth's early material was so strong, this album had impossibly large shoes to fill and, as a result, maybe fell a little short of the expectations of the audience it intended to reach.

"We Shall Be Free", the first track on the album, an edgy, powerful gospel-rock-ballad, is very well conceived, though it never received the attention it deserved. The song, which states that "we shall be free" when we dismiss prejudice and discrimination, is genuinely powerful, but it was also a little preachy, possibly turning off listeners whos opinions didn't match Garth's.

This album, like others also introduced us to a remake of several classic songs. "Dixie Chicken" was given a refreshing update, again blending the stylings of country with a blend of blues/gospel sound that make it poignant and enjoyable. Garth's reworking of "Walking After Midnight" however leaves something to be desired. It is good, but Patsy Cline gave the song such an absolute sound that this arrangement seems to fall a little short of the mark.

Unlike its predecessors, this album runs a little short on solid singles. The likable "That Summer" is a solid song, but uses the stylings for which Garth was becoming increasingly more recognized by, and results in sounding like a clone of some of his earlier work, instead of simply standing on its own.

The pieces that work best on this album are the ones that went unrecognized by country radio. "Somewhere Other Than the Night" is beautiful, and like much of Garth's material, is not a traditional love song, but instead a reflection on the need for love to extend beyond the physical, and really impact each of us moment by moment.

Perhaps the strongest piece on the album is "Night Rider's Lament", a delightful song about a man's quest to live out his life as a cowboy in the west after giving up the comforts of his life back in the city. The song is bold, and Garth takes a risk with it by yodelling the final portion of the song in the stylings of the old country-western singers. The result is delightful, and a nod-of-the-hat to country music fans of yesteryear.

Although this album does not, in my opinion, equal the strengths of his earlier efforts, it is a great album, full of some really great musical moments. It is well worth the time and the price of the CD, despite being a slightly weaker album than "Ropin the Wind", "No Fences" and his debut album, "Garth Brooks". It is still classic Garth-and so you can't go wrong here.

As a fan of country music that is "accessible" to non-countrified ears, I feel this is Garth Brooks' strongest album. Less twangy than the still-glorious "No Fences" and less synthesized than his later discs, the album offers a mix of ballads, barnstormers and storytelling that encapsulate myriad human qualities, experiences and feelings. "That Summer" is every adolescent boy's paean to older women, and "We Shall Be Free" delivers a hopeful message against hate, violence, homophobia and hunger. Throughout, Brooks testifies to his own personal growth ("Every Now and Then") as well as his sense of humor ("Dixie Chicken.") Perhaps no track captures the essence of Brooks' strengths as a dramatic interpreter of country music than the song "Somewhere Other Than The Night." In it, he tells a haunting tale of lost romance, risk-taking, and pure unadulterated passion between a couple who'd forgotten how to love. He delivers the track with a mix of anger and gentleness that adds to its drama, and makes it one of Garth's crowning single achievments, up there with "Friends In Low Places" and "The Change."

"Face to Face" and "Nightrider's Lament" like the other tracks here show why Garth retained his loyal fans with "Chase." That said, it's true strength lies in potentially reaching beyond the pure-country enthusiasts and onto the CD Players of devoted pop lovers. As a stylist, this is Brooks' finest moment on disc, in that he bridges the very gap country music has been hoping to cross for a long time. As a songwriter, he shows depth and wisdom, and as the world's ambassador to country music, he reaches new heights. A definitive album, and a MUST HAVE for all serious lovers of pure pop.

If The Dance, The River and other songs weren't enough to prove Garth's amazing range to you, he adds to it with "We Shall Be Free". Of course it created "controversy" among the no-nothings that want Garth to be some kind of George Jones clone. Yo, people, like all things, country music will grow and change. Embrace it, because it is wonderful in this case. It's interesting that all people can say about "We Shall Be Free" is that it's anti-homophobic. Why, yes, it is. It is also anti-racist, pro-freedom of religion, pro-environment, pro-free speech, anti-poverty and all Garth. I'm proud to have country music begin to reflect all that is best about America and her people. It's time the hateful few stopped being able to control the flow of such a powerful American tradition as country music. We shall be free!

Garth Brooks knows you have to take chances and be diverse to stand apart from the assembly-line pack in country music. He never settles for mediocre as this 1992 album clearly illustrates. Each track on the album is either awesome or awful.

THE CHASE gets off to an incredible start with three great songs, all co-written by Brooks. "We Shall Be Free" is a majestic anthem for equality that builds to a fervored gospel climax while "Somewhere Other Than The Night" is a soaring ballad about spousal passion which effectively makes use of Brooks' emotive voice. The opportunistic "Mr. Right" is two minutes of western swing that immediately brings to mind George Strait, one of Brooks' musical idols.

Brooks comes back down to earth with his remake of the Patsy Cline classic "Walking After Midnight." Its inclusion is perplexing since Cline's version is so definitive and Brooks' seedy nightclub treatment pales in comparison. Another remake, the greasy "Dixie Chicken" is a southern rock throwaway.

Things pick up again with the passionate Brooks composition "That Summer" and the spinetingling return to dating saga "Learning To Live Again" while "Night Rider's Lament is a nice ode to the underappreciated rodeo cowboy. Brooks' yodeling at the end of the latter is reminiscint of Pearl Bodine (Jethro's mom) however, and that is NOT a compliment.

THE CHASE concludes as strongly as it began with the chilling "Face To Face." As he previously did with "The Thunder Rolls," Brooks takes on a controversial subject (this time date rape) and turns in a mesmerizing performance. Overall, the hits far outweigh the misses and is worth buying.

People of the world heed my call, Garth Brooks must be stopped. With his undisputed charm and his dashing good looks he has taken the world by storm, and has no intention of ceasing until he has seized it all. I must use this review to try to remain low profile while at the same time rallying those who are with me. Be forewarned though, if Garth Brooks gets wind of the uprise, he will strike down upon it with untold force. Garth Brooks is not of this world, and his intelligence, prowess, and fighting skill are beyond compare. He is proficient in fighting styles of 6 of the 7 continents of this world, including the death defying Antarctic Attack. In 1536 Garth Brooks was first introduced into the world as a plague overcoming the people Chile, and soon passed through many of the South American Nations. While cloaking themselves in black over their fallen comrades the natives of the continent tried to defeat the reputable force, only to be dismembered one by one as Garth Brooks seemed to be enjoying the havoc he has brought. After the complete destruction over the land, Garth Brooks laid dormant for over 4 centuries, plotting and keening his killing skills. It was not until recently that his personal battle sparked back up, and no one is sure why this point in time was chosen, but one factor is certain; the human race stands no chance. At first, I was under the impression that with the advances in weapons technologies, defense against the Brooks behemoth could be reached, but the wishful thinking was washed away as the mayhem ensued. Garth Brooks has also achieved levels of power that he alone was unaware of. His abilities grew to the extent that his form was unable to harness his true power without self destructing. As a result, Garth Brooks split himself into a second form to aid him in his battle against all. This second form is known only as Chris Gaines, and little is known as to which powers occupy his being and which powers were left in the original host.

So now I ask again, join me before it is too late. Fight the urges to rock out to him authentic country style and his undeniably unique originality. If nothing is done, it is only time before a third Garth Brooks emerges, and then we are only one Brooks away from the four Garth-men of the apocalypse.