I've never written a review before, but I had to contribute a dissenting opinion to the general consensus on this album. It's the first MCC album I've bought (but not the last) and I love it! About 1/3 of the songs I could've done without (such as the one about baby boomers, a group to which I don't belong and am a little tired of hearing about), but the others are unique, engaging, and they reach me like few other songs I've heard. I have a 6-disk CD changer in my car, but this is the one CD that I keep coming back to. I would buy this album just for "That's Real." I would actually give this about 4.5 stars. The songs are not as "catchy" as, say, Down at the Twist and Shout, but -- as much as I love that song -- the ones on this album mean more to me.

Mary Chapin Carpenter does a nice job on this CD and considering her talent this is faint praise. Nothing really stands out in this collection of tunes, with Carpenter commenting on life and love with her usual lyrical depth but without the musical force to back up her words. There is nothing here to dislike but then again there's nothing that's going bring you back to this disc again and again.

Actually, this was the first Mary Chapin Carpenter album that I bought. And after listening to the past three releases (Shooting Straight in The Dark, Come On Come On, and Stones In The Road), her latest is just a little disappointing. It starts off great with the electric guitar driven "Keeping The Faith" and "Heroes In Your Own Hometown," but then it starts to slack off. She is seemingly trying to fuse the sounds of Come On Come On and Stones In The Road together, and it doesn't quite work. "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" is typical Mary Chapin Carpenter, but when the last two choruses are sung with background vocals weaving in and out of Mary Chapin's vocals, like in "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," their not as strong as in the previous song I just mentioned and therefore lack effect. The rest of the fast songs, with the exception of "The Better To Dream Of You and Let Me Into your Heart", seem a little empty. They're missing the organ and electric and acoustic guitar background that weaves in and out of each other that, to me, is her trademark. It's more acoustic and it really doesn't capture that vipe she usually has in her songs, even the slow ones. There are a couple of good songs, but as a whole, it's a little disappointing.

Mary Chapin Carpenter is my favorite artist, and though this is not my favorite of her albums, I did like it. It lacked a little of the poetic lyricism that I have come to expect, but "Ideas are Like Stars" shone. "I want to be your girlfriend" lacked something that "Shut up and Kiss me" had, but "Keeping the Faith" and The Better to Dream of You" delivered.

As usual, MCC hits home with another stunning collection of well crafted material. Carpenter has become the measuring stick for 90's singer/songwriters in the tradition of 70's standouts like Fogelberg, Browne, Mitchell, and Taylor. 3-5 listens and these songs will stay with you.