You Gotta Love That
Artist: Neal McCoy
Community Score: 3.50
Blue
Artist: LeAnn Rimes
Community Score: 6.84

With this fabulous record that brought joy and fun to all avid listeners of country music, LeAnn Rimes arrived just in the nick of time, when country needed it most, amidst all the regulars of the scene such as Garth Brooks, Holly Dunn, etc. The record is a delightful free-for-all of sassy pick-me-up country that spells GOLD in many sorts of... Read More

Somebody New
Artist: Rhett Akins
Community Score: 5.75
Ten Thousand Angels
Artist: Mindy McCready
Community Score: 8.00

Mindy McCready's debut Ten Thousand Angels is an appealing debut album, despite a handful of flaws. The songwriting on the album is occasionally a little weak, but throughout the record McCready turns in a powerhouse performance that elevates her to the front ranks of young female contemporary country singers. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide Read More

Between Now and Forever
Artist: Bryan White
Community Score: 4.75

Sounding like a cross between a young Bobby Vinton and early Johnny Tillotson, Bryan White could also be called a '90s Glen Campbell, someone he often refers to in his stage act. While not everything on Between Now and Forever is top notch, most songs are high-quality Nashville fare. Throughout the album, White brings us songs of experience with... Read More

Revelations
Artist: Wynonna Judd
Community Score: 8.00

Wynonna had no problem with the spotlight; or, as the tabloids regularly revealed, with opening up her private life for all to poke through and ponder. For all of her cultivating of celebrity, her albums continued to turn down the lights and focus on the softer glow of emotional verities her albums. Revelations is another worthy solo effort by... Read More

Right in the Middle of It
Artist: Chely Wright
Community Score: 8.70

This 1996 album, Right in the Middle of It, is the sophomore offering from award-winning country singer Chely Wright. The recording is filled with both ballads and fast-paced numbers, and features plenty of natural country twang. Wright has enough vocal talents to handle the ballads and enough energy to carry the toe-tappers. This might only be... Read More

What I Live to Do
Artist: James Bonamy
Community Score: 10.00
Some Things Are Meant to Be
Artist: Linda Davis

Linda Davis is another singer who suffered through struggles to get heard. In her case, however, she tended to release formula-heavy albums empty of much character or individuality. Always an obvious talent, she bounced between record companies, all of which tried to force her into one ill-fitting trend or another. Davis finally enjoyed some... Read More

All I Need to Know
Artist: Kenny Chesney
Community Score: 9.80

Kenny Chesney was working parking cars when he got his first songwriting contract. In less than two years he had another contract, this one as a singer. His debut album hit the shelves in 1993. After a couple more years he was signed under a new label and had completed a noteworthy sophomore offering. This is that album, All I Need to Know. The... Read More

The Hits: Chapter 1
Artist: Sammy Kershaw

Sammy Kershaw had only been recording for four years when he released The Hits, Chapter 1, but its appearance didn't seem premature. During that time, he had racked up a considerable number of Top Ten country hits, including the number ones "National Working Woman's Holiday" and "She Don't Know She's Beautiful." Both of those songs are included,... Read More

Strait Out of the Box
Artist: George Strait
Community Score: 9.33

A truly comprehensive four-CD compilation covering the years 1976-1995, including all 31 of his number one hits, 11 more chart singles of great musical significance, 19 LP tracks, and 11 more rare tracks, plus a brace of unreleased songs that are anything but leftovers. The opening three tracks, all written by Strait and dating from 1976-1979,... Read More

I Think About You
Artist: Collin Raye

After attempting a somewhat rougher approach with Extremes, Collin Raye returned to his smooth ballad stylings on I Think About You. Though he still sings the occasional honky tonk raver, the high points on his fourth album come when he slows the pace down. I Think About You does suffer from a few bland tracks, but the album does demonstrate why... Read More

John Michael Montgomery
Artist: John Michael Montgomery

It doesn't really matter that John Michael Montgomery replicates the formula of its hit predecessor, Kickin' it Up. Even though it has the same country-pop ballads, slick country-rock and honky tonk numbers that made Kickin' It Up a monster commercial success, the record doesn't sound dull or repetitive. Most of the album's success is due to the... Read More

Old Enough to Know Better
Artist: Wade Hayes
Community Score: 10.00

Brought up on music recorded by legendary artists like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and George Jones, it's little wonder Wade Hayes has such a feel for their style of country music. On this 1995 debut album, Old Enough to Know Better, Hayes offers up some impressive honky tonk numbers, three of which he helped pen: "I'm Still... Read More

Measure of a Man
Artist: Kevin Sharp
Community Score: 7.00