Search - Joni Harms :: Hometown Girl

Joni's outstanding debut album

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 02/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1990, big changes were happening in country music. The old guard were being squeezed out of the radio playlists by new stars like Clint Black and Garth Brooks. There were a lot of new singers around - too many for the public to get excited about, so most of them released one or two albums before fading back into the obscurity from whence they came. It seemed that Joni Harms was just another unlucky would-be star when this album was released but not supported properly by the record company. Several years later, Joni re-emerged as a traditional country singer of songs with a western theme and, as I write this, she is still recording and performing her music.



This album is traditional country without the western themes (they came later) but with a contemporary edge. Don't let that put you off - this is a magnificent album. Joni shows that she is a great songwriter as well as a fine singer, as she co-wrote four of the songs here including my favorite, I need a wife, an amusing song about a woman who needs somebody to do the domestic chores. Joni also co-wrote What kind of line does a woman use (about a woman wanting to introduce herself to a man), I used to be you (a classic woman to woman song) and the title track. We now know that Joni is more farm girl than hometown girl, but this is still an excellent song.



Joni found six other fine songs to complete the album, with contributions from some of Nashville's finest songwriters. One of the songs, There's no heart so strong, had previously been recorded by Tammy Wynette for her acoustic album, Higher ground.



As I write this review, this album is still available if you look in the right place for it. If you are a fan of traditional country music, it is well worth it.



Tracks



Tear it up

If you were me

You don't need to knock

What kind of line does a woman use?

I used to be you

The only thing bluer than his eyes

You're the heart of it all

I need a wife

There's no heart so strong

Hometown girl"