Search - Mindy McCready :: If I Don't Stay the Night

'Night' No Sophomore Slump--At Least Not Creatively

Chris S. | atlanta, ga United States | 04/02/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Following up a hot debut is always a tough proposition, one that befell McCready when she issued her sophomore effort, and on the same day as Shania Twain's massive COME ON OVER. Well, needless to say, IF I DON'T STAY THE NIGHT sold about sixteen and a half million copies less than Twain's pop breakthrough, in this case one of those ugly betrayals in which sales figures fail to match the actual work's quality. Granted, McCready's first disc was a masterful debut, but IF I DON'T STAY THE NIGHT is every bit its'equal--and then some. It's too bad nobody seemed to stick around to notice-the three singles from the set were all pretty much met with a lukewarm reception, despite being as catchy as anything on country radio at the time. And the remainder of the album was stocked to the wall with first-rate material--the title track, 'For A Good Time Call', and 'Oh Romeo' were all single-worthy. On top of that, McCready manages to cover Linda Ronstadt's 'Long Long Time'--and in the process turns in her finest vocal performance to this day. It's unfortunate, because the poor reception from radio here only escalated with her third (and justifiably ignored)effort I'M NOT SO TOUGH. Nonetheless, I guess the artist, and we as listeners, can take comfort in the fact that she released two first-rate projects--and that's two more than most artists can muster in a lifetime."