AMZ - September 2000 - Everlasting Love Songs<title> </head> <body bgcolor="#000000" text="#FFFFFF">  <script language="javascript"> </script>   <CENTER> <script language="javascript" src="http://media.fastclick.net/w/get.media?sid=11170&m=1&tp=5&d=j&t=n"></script> <noscript><a href="http://media.fastclick.net/w/click.here?sid=11170&m=1&c=1" target="_blank"> <img src="http://media.fastclick.net/w/get.media?sid=11170&m=1&tp=5&d=s&c=1" width=728 height=90 border=1></a></noscript> </CENTER>  <script language="JavaScript">if (document.images) { img1on = new Image(); img1on.src = "/top/1on.gif"; img2on = new Image(); img2on.src = "/top/2on.gif"; img3on = new Image(); img3on.src = "/top/3on.gif"; img4on = new Image(); img4on.src = "/top/4on.gif"; img5on = new Image(); img5on.src = "/top/5on.gif"; img6on = new Image(); img6on.src = "/top/6on.gif"; img7on = new Image(); img7on.src = "/top/7on.gif"; img8on = new Image(); img8on.src = "/top/8on.gif"; img9on = new Image(); img9on.src = 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</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="3%" height="23"> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="368"> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" height="1"> <tr> <td width="177"><font size="5" face="Arial">Artist:</font></td> <td width="368"><font size="6" face="Arial">Various</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="177"><font size="5" face="Arial">Title:</font></td> <td width="368"><font size="5" face="Arial">"Everlasting Love Songs"</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="177"><font face="Arial">Label:</font></td> <td width="368"><font face="Arial">UTV Records </font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="177"><font face="Arial">Reviewed by:</font></td> <td width="368"><font face="Arial">Joe Hartlaub</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="177"><font face="Arial">Rating:</font></td> <td width="368"><img src="http://www.music-reviewer.com/graphics/half.gif" width="129" height="35"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="177"><a href="http://www.cdnow.com/switch/from=cr-4255083/target=buyweb_purchase/itemid=1214315"><img src="http://www.music-reviewer.com/graphics/hear.gif" border="0" width="165" height="32"></a> </td> <td width="368"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="177"> </td> <td width="368"> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="100%"><font face="Arial"> I knew it would happen. I threw "EVERLASTING LOVE SONGS" into the CD player knowing this would happen. I looked over the titles, and was forewarned that of the 17 songs thereon, 15 of 'em were some of the most banal country music recordings ever made. But I sat down to listen anyway, and made it to "All This Time" by Reba McEntire. Everything went black; the next thing I knew I was on a gurney in the Riverside Methodist Hospital emergency room, being treated for diabetic coma. The things I do for you. <P> Now, I've got nothing against love songs. Nothing at all. But they have to have some emotion, some soul, to 'em. It may seem like an oxymoron to talk about soulful country music, but it's not at all. Listen to Hank Williams, or Vince Gill, just for starters. In fact, a couple even snuck onto this collection, those being "Look At Us" by the aforementioned Vinny and "Loving You" by The Mavericks. The other 15 songs on here are by-the-numbers Nashville sound, with the tempo slowed down to a paralytic crawl and enough syrup on the strings to supply the Route 3 Waffle House for a month or two. Virtually everyone represented on here, from George Strait ("Baby Blue") to Toby Keith ("Me Too") to Lee Ann Womack ("Some things I Know") has done better elsewhere. And at least one of the songs has been done better elsewhere, as well. Listen to Kathy Mattea's version of "Sending Me Angels;" then dig up Delbert McClinton's soulful, heartfelt rendition, which is enough to make even a born-again agnostic like myself fall to his unworthy knees to give a prayer of thanks, and see what I mean. <P> The problem with a compilation like this is the thought process that goes into it. A bunch of suits are sitting around in Nashville, sipping on their lattes, and imagining themselves as an integral part of a Dixie Chicks' sandwich. Someone says, "We've got all of these love ballads that were hits; let's throw 'em on a CD and call it "EVERLASTING LOVE SONGS;" it'll give Jethro something to buy for the Mrs. on his way home from the Bakersfield run, and salve his conscience for the lot lizard he picked up in Jellico!" The others assembled nod sagely. And here's the result. What they forget it is that some of this stuff is halfway tolerable if it's on the radio and you're in the car or folding laundry or something like that and its sandwiched in between Brooks and Dunn or Randy Travis or something. But cut after cut after cut will make you want to cut your throat. <P> When my sons were younger, this is the type of stuff I would make them listen to as punishment; if I did that now, the Children's Services' nazis would take them away from me. And they would be right. Again, there's two good songs out of seventeen here, and you've probably got 'em already. Pass. </font></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </center></div> </body> </html>