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COUNTRY MUSIC

Rating Scale: to

Artist:	THE LYNNS
Title:	"THE LYNNS"
Label:	Warner/Reprise
Reviewed By:	Kayla Christian
Rating:

"The Lynns" at age 32 have come a long, long way in the entertainment world. The twins were 3 weeks old when they made their Opry debut. When they were three years old, they were singing and dancing on the bar at "Tootsie's Orchid Lounge," once a hangout for "Grand Ole Opry" performers. Mrs. Tootsie would give them a Coca-Cola and a pack of gum. They grew up with music all around them. Many singers say for them, this is a dream, but for the Lynn's, this is a reality. Patsy and Peggy hit the Nashville club scene over the last few years as the "Honkabillies," drawing the attention of those all around them, including Warner Bros. executives, who were captivated by the sisters' harmony-rich sound and eye catching stage presence. Their music, blending honky-tonk and rockabilly drew increasingly larger crowds to Tootsie's. They're beautiful women and they have a banter on stage that is very charming. There is no one else that sounds like them. It's like old country, but it sounds modern. They bring a respect for the heritage and the tradition of the music that is somewhat lacking these days. But, considering their background, this seems only natural. It was during one of those early gigs that everything began to unfold. Warner/Reprise A&R rep. Lisa Bradley and V.P. Doug Grau caught them in action, and when "The Lynns" were asked for a tape, they pulled out a $300 demo of "It Hurts Me" and "Nights Like These." When Reprise offered them a deal, the label had no idea about their lineage. "That was so important to Patsy and me," states Peggy. "It has to be about the music, not about some marketing opportunity." When Peggy and Patsy told Reprise executives they were the twin daughter's of Loretta Lynn (Crystal Gayle is their aunt), "You could have knocked them over with a feather," Peggy laughs. "He was like, 'You're Loretta Lynn's daughters?!?!?!?!' When Patsy mentions 'The LYNNS' in this album, you're going to hear a lot of our mother in our music, and that is what we want you to. But when you get through the whole record, you'll know it's the Lynns." They are country, and yet they're very contemporary. "Crazy Love" is one of the Lynn's honk-a-billy songs. This song basically mentions the feelings about when you fall in love. It starts out with just a gentle look, and before you know it, you are in that crazy world of love. "Woman To Woman" is a song in it's own standing, that was written from personal experience. Patsy and Peggy had written three different versions of the same idea, but Patsy came up with the hook and the chorus, while Peggy came up with the bulk of the verse from a conversation she had with another woman about her fiancé. "Woman To Woman" is not just about a woman confronting another woman. It is about a woman standing up for herself instead of walking away. Not only is it a gangbuster of a song that carries a big wallop, it also was dynamic enough to catch Steven Segal's attention. "The Lynns" managed to capture a cameo appearance in his film "Fire Down Below," due out in October, and contribute the song "Woman To Woman" to the soundtrack. Patsy was going through songs one day with Kosta, one of the all-time great country singer/songwriters, when Patsy saw the song title "This Must Be Love." She wanted to hear it. Kosta mentioned he didn't feel it was one that the Lynns were looking for, but later, Peggy and Patsy made a demo of this song and took it back for Kosta to hear. He didn't even recognize his own song. James House was the co-writer of this song, so the Lynns took the demo to the studio, and he didn't recognize it either until halfway through it. He spun around and said, 'That's my song! That's my song!" This song has the strong distinctive flavor that belongs to the twins alone. This is definitely "The Lynns'." "It Hurts Me" is a song that Patsy says the good Lord gave to them. For Peggy it hit chord because she had just broken off her engagement. Her heart was broken and as the twins began to write to the grooves, Peggy drew from those emotions. The sound of the Lynns will echo into the chambers of your heart, with a unique sound that is delicately caressed with deep emotions. The next song came about in an odd sort of way. Don Cook, their producer, told them that they needed to think about writing a Christmas song to put out next Christmas. The twins thought this was a good idea and decided to head for Atlanta because Santa hangs out at the Lenox Mall. The weather down there was gorgeous 75º, nothing at all to put them in the Christmas spirit. James House and Peggy had been working on a new song, so Peggy played it for Patsy. The song "Cry Cry Baby" was finished that night. Returning to Nashville, they were scheduled to play at Tootsie's, and this fast, toe-tapping, honky-tonk song was a big hit. Don suggested that they should go to Atlanta more often. "Nights Like These" is a beautiful romantic song. The Lynns project this song with unique, exquisite sounds that come deep from within. Inspired by a story their Daddy told them, this song extends sentimental meaning to the twins, taking them back to Aug. 6, 1964 in a town called Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, 65 miles out of Nashville. Peggy and Patsy was delivered almost exactly nine months after their parents got lost one afternoon while house hunting. They found this run-down, white-column home that had not been lived in for twenty years. Loretta wrapped her arms around one of the pillars and said, "Doo, I feel just like Scarlet O'Hara, and this is my Tara." Their father said that Loretta was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Their parents spent the night on the porch of that dilapidated place, under the stars. The next day they located the owners and made an offer for the house and its 1,400 acres of farmland. The Lynns twins have captured and preserved that romantic, seductive scene in the song "Nights Like These." "Oh My Goodness" is a high energy level song, co-written with Mitch Callis. Percussions on this song spice it with just the right flavor to put it in a class of its own. This is followed by "What Am I Doing Loving You," written by Jamie O'Hara, with a taste of "I love you but you are driving me nuts." One of the most inspired songs on this album is titled from their diabetes-ravaged father's farewell on his deathbed. At the age of 67, just shy of their 50th wedding anniversary, Doo called Loretta and his family into his room at Hurricane Mills. He stared at Loretta for the last 20 minutes of his life and said, "I won't leave this world unloved." The twins wanted to keep their music as real as their Dad's words. "I Won't Leave This World Unloved" was written shortly after. This song is a lovely ballad sung from deep within their hearts and souls. The album ends with the happy-go-lucky "Someday" that will make you smile every time you hear it. It richly displays the unique vocal style of Peggy and Patsy Lynn. Peggy and Patsy grew up with a firm foundation. Their mother told them, "Never forget where you come from, that way you will always know where you are going. And if need be, you'll always find your way home." No truer words can be said, for the Lynns do know where they came from. and wherever they go, they bring with them their own fresh style of music. True to their roots, they are a testament that country music is a tradition.

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