The Heart That Love Forgot - Kelly Willis, Kostas [1]
Sincerely (Too Late to Turn Back Now) - Kelly Willis, Earle, Steve [1]
Baby Take a Piece of My Heart - Kelly Willis, Kostas [1]
Bang Bang - Kelly Willis, Bono, Sonny
Hidden Things - Kelly Willis, Kelly, Paul
Not Afraid of the Dark - Kelly Willis, Lauderdale, Jim
Standing by the River - Kelly Willis, Clifford, Tom
Settle for Love - Kelly Willis, Ely, Joe
Something of a latecomer to MCA's late-'80s/early-'90s stable of left-field country artists spearheaded by Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith, Virginian Kelly Willis ultimately floundered there despite cutting three critically... more » hailed releases for the company. Bang Bang, the middle title in the MCA trilogy, is an ever-appealing 10-song outing that makes Willis's lack of commercial success all the more mystifying. Posited midway between the Nashville outskirts territory of Lovett, Steve Earle, and the other '80s insurgents and the mid-'90s y'alternative school (Willis mixes easily with both camps), Bang Bang shows off the singer's powerful pipes and nose for excellent songs: tunes by Earle, Australian folk-rocker Paul Kelly, Jim Lauderdale, and Joe Ely are among the standout selections here. Bang Bang reflected where one vital stream of country music headed in the '90s; too bad more fans didn't catch the boat. --Steven Stolder« less
Something of a latecomer to MCA's late-'80s/early-'90s stable of left-field country artists spearheaded by Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith, Virginian Kelly Willis ultimately floundered there despite cutting three critically hailed releases for the company. Bang Bang, the middle title in the MCA trilogy, is an ever-appealing 10-song outing that makes Willis's lack of commercial success all the more mystifying. Posited midway between the Nashville outskirts territory of Lovett, Steve Earle, and the other '80s insurgents and the mid-'90s y'alternative school (Willis mixes easily with both camps), Bang Bang shows off the singer's powerful pipes and nose for excellent songs: tunes by Earle, Australian folk-rocker Paul Kelly, Jim Lauderdale, and Joe Ely are among the standout selections here. Bang Bang reflected where one vital stream of country music headed in the '90s; too bad more fans didn't catch the boat. --Steven Stolder
"Kelly Willis has one of the biggest, strongest voices in music today, and this cd is a winner. To get a hold of her other MCA releases, "Well-Traveled Love" and "Kelly Willis", you'll have to look through used cd stores, because they're gone. Take advantage of the chance to grab this one. "Baby, Take a Piece of My Heart" is a song even a non-country fan could appreciate. The title cut and Joe Ely's "Settle for Love" are also great rockers, and for a lovely ballad, look no further than "Sincerely (Too Late to Turn Back Now)." Willis' sound has changed with her new cd, "What I Deserve", and while its more acoustic setting and quieter songs are wonderful, this is where you can hear Willis really let loose. So get it while you can, because it may not be long before the plug gets pulled on this one, too!"
One of THE Best Alt-Country albums ever
Frank Garon | Breinigsville, PA United States | 07/31/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album still cooks - years after I first bought it. Kelly can rock with the best of them on one song - and then she can bring you to tears with the next song. She's got an amazing voice, she's as beautiful as a woman could get, and she's got more talent than just about anything you'll ever hear come out of Nashville.Kelly, you are a true talent and this one is nothing short of perfect!"
A Big Bang
J. Brady | PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC United States | 09/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kelly Willis still doesn't get the attention she deserves. An incredibly gifted vocalist, and still one of the sexiest women I have ever laid eyes on, she could have been as big as Shania Twain. Terribly, sadly overlooked. This album beat the Sophmore Slump while covering more bases than most pigeonholed Country artists are bold enough to get near. Texas Swing. ALT/POP Country. Heartbreaking Ballads. The band is tight. The vocal performances are full of nuances. It sounds great too, the production and mixing is just slick enough without sounding fake or forced. A modern country classic."
Rollicking Second MCA Effort
J. Brady | 03/13/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Willis pulled out all the stops for her sophomore MCA effort, including a terrific Steve Earle ballad ("Sincerely-Too Late To Turn Back Now,") some rockabilly gems ("Bang, Bang," "I'll Try Again,") and her most successful recording to date, a Kostas-penned top 60 hit single, "Baby, Take A Piece of My Heart." Her studio band here is superb, and this CD moves like a rifle shot, pushing Willis' strengths to the forefront: a sweet, vibrato-laced soprano perfectly suited for her rough-and-tumble uptempo song arrangements and tender ballads. Problem is, country radio in 1991 was nowhere near ready for this feisty Okie's groundbreaking recordings. Later generations are discovering Willis, who'll have to settle for 'pioneer' status in the alt-country category. Her first MCA CD, "Kelly Willis," (out of print, of course) is a grab bag of rockabilly chestnuts worth obtaining-if you can find it."