First the bad news. I expected to give this album an overwhelming 5 because Ms. M has perhaps the most stunning voice in modern country music. From her pure country heartache songs, like her early "Cheap Whiskey," to the earth-shattering power of her gazillions-of-awards-winning smash of "Independence Day," I have been an avid worshipper at her altar.

That is why the fact that I'm not swinging from the chandeliers disappoints me. But hey, a mildly disappointing album from this monster voice is still a hell of a lot better than another 5 Star level album from a teeny bopper. I guess my adoration of Martina here is a strike against her, and it pains me, but that's the breaks.

Mainly it bothers me because this is not really a fault of the songs. None of them flat out SUCK and they are all solidly constructed. It's certainly no fault of Martina's still ASTOUNDING voice. I am afraid, ladies and gentlemen, the problem here, as often happens, is this time the star was given her own chance to PRODUCE. While she hasn't done a HORRID job, well, letting even the most talented kids play in sandboxes ain't gonna get you an Eiffel tower if said kids' talents lie elsewhere.

We know there's talent to kill for in those stunning pipes of Martina's, but I'm sorry. Maybe she should be kept away from the knobs and spinners, because the production of nearly HALF this album is just, well, OFF.

"Do What You Do" is a dandy song that gets lost from trying to be too "COOL." If MM pushed this song, it would be killer. "Anything's Better Than The Blues" is a killer idea, but it's so damn slow, one wonders when it should end. It should be rockin' instead - not taking forever. "There You Are" takes an already hard-to-get-across-without-being silly premise, then adds too many violins and Martina suddenly gets Celine Dion disease. It could be a nice song but she ain't singing about a sunken boat, folks.

"From The Ashes" SHOULD have screaming vocals and some swirling mass crescendo for the power its lyrics have, but instead it just sits there. This is a tragic misstep, since the song's lyrics chilled me to the bone in print. Not to mention it has some ungodly bizarre drum brush lick at the beginning that sounds so friggin' WEIRD I had to check to see if my CD player was skipping. The final cut, what could have been a killer divorce song called "This Uncivil War," well what the HELL is that weird electric fiddle lick at the beginning? It's all a shame.

But, enough bad news. The rest of this album makes it worth 10 prices simply because it's Martina being Martina. The chipper and irresistible "I Love You" from the movie "Runaway Bride" is already a huge smash. "Make Me Believe" and "Love's The Only House" kill every naysayer who say that there is no good modern country music. "It's My Time" shows off that soaring voice in killer lyrics about both angry sides of a broken marriage. "Good Bye" is heartbreaking and cool, with its '70s country intro, and "Anything And Everything," with its sparse guitar and vocal, takes MM into Sarah McLachlan/Jewel Land, but this time the experiment works.

An IFFY Martina Album is worth 100 of many others, but someone should still keep her away from the controls next time. It's no sin to realize you are a superstar in one thing, but maybe shouldn't go do something else Martina. Michael Jordan ring a bell?