Family - LeAnn Rimes

...Opening with the title track Family the album starts well, the country start becomes a rockier track which covers all the reasons a family is what it is, and how it is, certainly it seems Leann has been lucky enough to have a family who have kept her rooted despite her success.

Next up is Nothin Better to do, followed up by Fight, the first ballardish on the album, a nice track which would fit in to the commercial market quite nicely, ...
...has a similar theme to Family in that it is an observation that despite our differences people all want to have love, another poppy sounding song it has to be one of the best on the album.

Nothin Wrong is another more country song on the album, it is a duet with Marc Broussard and talks about the challenge pf staying faithful to a partner when faced with someone you fancy who isnt your partner. It has become quite firmly stuck in my ... more

LeAnn Rimes has in her time as a recording artist released 12 albums, and one greatest hits collection, not bad for a woman who is still only 25!

Having bought this album off the strength of the first single release Nothin Better to do, which hasnt had a huge amount of radio airplay - at least not on the stations I tend to listen to, but the video has been on seemingly permanent rotation on several music channels (hmm the attractions of a pretty blonde maybe?), and is a poppy country song about the ease with which you can get in to trouble living in a remote area.

Opening with the title track Family the album starts well, the country start becomes a rockier track which covers all the reasons a family is what it is, and how it is, certainly it seems Leann has been lucky enough to have a family who have kept her rooted despite her success.

Next up is Nothin Better to do, followed up by Fight, the first ballardish on the album, a nice track which would fit in to the commercial market quite nicely, and is the only of the ballards on the album which I wouldnt simply skip passed. It is a heartwrenching song about not wanting to fight with a lover as it wastes the time you could be enjoying together.

Fourth up is Good Friend and a Glass of Wine, a song which anyone should be able to identify with, though the government would probably denounce it as encouraging excessive drinking! Leann shows how its not only us plebs who need friends and a drink or two to unwind (and God knows Ive been enjoying a drink or two recently with my friends).

Something I can Feel is a more overtly 'country' song and tends to be when I hit the skip button, its too slow for my tastes, although the lyrics if you can listen to them hold alot of meaning. Another on the skip button is I Want You With Me, simply because at the moment it makes me cry due to the poinancy of the lyrics.

Doesnt Everybody has a similar theme to Family in that it is an observation that despite our differences people all want to have love, another poppy sounding song it has to be one of the best on the album.

Nothin Wrong is another more country song on the album, it is a duet with Marc Broussard and talks about the challenge pf staying faithful to a partner when faced with someone you fancy who isnt your partner. It has become quite firmly stuck in my head much to the dismay of my workmates who are sick of my tuneless singing.

But annoyingly it is followed up by Pretty Things which is another to have me reaching for the skip button. Talking about the things you think are needed to make to happy and feel better but really dont matter. Far too slow for my tastes it does however showcase Leann's vocal.

Slightly better is Upper Hand, another fairly slow song urging women everywhere to literally take control, of their man 'tease him like a tramp'. Sounds like fun to me.

One Day too Long relies on Leann's vocal and sends me for that all important skip button, as does What I Cannot Change, both being ballards which as I mentioned before I'm none to keen on.

The final two tracks are termed the Bonus Tracks, a phrase which always confuses me since they were on the original release so arent technically a bonus to anything.

Both are duets the first is with Bon Jovi, called Till We Aint Strangers Anymore is about the rebuilding process when a relationship has gone wrong, it is another slightly slow for my tastes and is best decribed as a power ballard. The second is called When You Love Someone Like That and is with Reba McIntyre. Phrased like a conversation after a girls has had her heart broken and another woman is comforting her, the voices of Rimes and McIntyre are very different and complement each other through the song.

Family is the first album which she has almost entirely co-written and putting aside the usual stereotypes about country singers is well worth a listen. The late middle section for me lets this down hugely, but the stronger end more than makes up for it. As a recent release it can be found in the usual places for around £10. 

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