This is perhaps the oddest album that has ever come across this reviewer's desk. Never have I listened to a CD with such a staggering dichotomy of opinion coming to my mind. First, "Jim Lauderdale" is far from a household name to listeners, but is a pantheon among musicians. He has written a staggering amount of hits and album cuts for the likes of George Strait, The Dixie Chicks and Mark Chestnutt. He is a wonderful musician who plays in the band of the Goddess of Alt.-Country, the Grammy-winning Lucinda Williams.

HOWEVER, this 16 song collection of Jim SINGING his own songs demonstrates that perhaps all of us should stick to our God-given strengths and leave our creative work in the hands of people who have the talent to exalt it. Unfortunately, Jim is a decent singer at best, and downright mediocre at worst, and he ain't no producer either. Every song on this album has a patina of routine sameness that makes it seem like a REALLY long demo.

That notwithstanding, much of this material IS really great, if for no other reason than that the recordings inspire you to wonder what gold an accomplished singer could mine from this material. Therefore, to be fair, every cut really needs to be cited.

Song by song, "You Just know" is a great song but Jim doesn't sound so great. I kept hearing what fellow singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell could do with this nice tune. " I Already Loved You" is rather routine, but the recording jumps up 1000 notches with the gorgeous harmony singing of Julie Reeves. For "Calico," Jim said that he wrote all the music before the words. Sorry Jimbo, it SHOWS. It has an interesting premise about a medicine show couple, so I was expecting perhaps some peppy redux of the theme of "Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves." Instead all I heard was a good idea thrown away in some rather boring lyrics over some wasted nice music.

"Lost Sunset" is ironically one of the highlights here, not because it has the most original lyrics, but because background singers Buddy and Julie Miller add their lovely voices, making this one of the by far most polished cuts on the album. The title cut could be a WHOPPER of a song if given to Dwight Yoakam. "Trust (Guiding Star)" is another HUGE hit waiting for someone like Clay Walker. It's a thrilling verse matched with a glorious chorus all CO-penned by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. This song exemplifies HOW amazing a songwriter Jim can be.

Another example of why he should STICK to that please, is that his cover of his OWN hit written for George Strait, "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" is atrocious and embarrassing. (Yes Jim, you really shouldn't be doing songs Godlike singers like George Strait embarrass you to death on. I don't give a hoot if you did write it.) "Please Be San Antone" may be the best written song on the record, but doesn't Jim have musician pals who love him to friggin' TELL him how horribly FLAT he is in the chorus before he let this cut go to final version??? I have heard less wrong notes at Karaoke Night at The School for the Deaf. "Almost Next To Nothing" is a great song waiting for a new rockin' country artist like Shane Minor or Andy Griggs to make it a hit. "Lonely Chill" has some nice lyrics, but once again Jim's iffy voice dilutes the power this song could have. Shockingly, "What I Want You To Say" is not only a WONDERFUL hit in the making, but in the verse Jim's voice finally sounds so good I started to wonder if he had suddenly been coached. But then he started squeaking wrong notes in the chorus again...been there, heard that. "The One That Didn't Get Away" is a killer rocker that should be snapped up by maybe Lonestar or Clay Walker. However, this ode to kept love is said now to be sung to a Guitar. Jim, not only take some singing lessons, but maybe get out more buddy.

"Understanding Everything" looks like a LOVELY song on paper, but Jim, I am sorry. It sounds SO HORRID in the first line I couldn't bear to listen to it. The music to "As If We Would Never Love Again" is wonderful, harking back to a 60's Buck Owens kind of tune with its killer steel guitar and fiddle lick. Unfortunately, this is the only song on this album where Jim's usually solid writing suddenly just flat out sucks as bad as his voice. All this lovely, lovely music wasted on lines like "Nightly, we held each other tightly? Love we've been making now seems bittersweet tasting?" Come on, Jim, that kind of crap is beneath you. At least the final cut, "Still Not Out Of The Woods" is solid enough that it would probably be a hit for someone like Sammy Kershaw.

I just don't get it. Does Jim's understandable cache as a mega songwriter get RCA to allow him to record an album this pitiful? Whatever the reason, someone who loves Jim should get him to stop and get a REAL producer and some singing lessons. All an album like this does is temporarily make you almost forget what an amazing musician that Jim is in many other ways.

Keep writing Jim, Keep Playing Jim. Take some singing lessons and get producer Jim.