Teri S. from CLARKSVILLE, TN Reviewed on 9/23/2006...
Greatest hits says it all!
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CD Reviews
Solid Hits Collection
Westley | Stuck in my head | 01/02/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Some people probably still remember Sawyer Brown as the country act discovered on the original Star Search. Their music was somewhat flimsy but fun then. However, they quickly developed into a solid country act, as witnessed by this greatest hits collection. All 10 songs hit the Billboard Country top 5 singles, with "Thank God for You" and "Some Girls Do" going all the way to #1. The band include a nice mixture of up-tempo songs and ballads here. Their up-tempo songs really swing, especially "Thank God for You," with its clever chorus, "I thank the bank for the money/ Thank God for you." Perhaps their best ballad is "The Walk," which went to #2 on the Country charts. The song brilliantly captures the fear that a child can feel when separating from his parents, with its haunting refrain, "Cause I took this walk you're walking now/ Boy, I've been in your shoes." Impressively, all of the songs were written or co-written by lead singer Mark Miller or other band members; the band clearly has depth and talent. Like many older country bands, Sawyer Brown hasn't made much noise on country radio in recent years. However, they were signed to Lyric Street Records (home of Rascall Flatts and Shedaisy) in 2003, and they're still recording and touring. If you're not familiar with their music already or don't have any of their CDs, this greatest hits compilation is a terrific place to start."
Great music
Paul A. McGlothlin | Highland Lakes, NJ USA | 06/22/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bought this CD several years ago while dating a lady who favored country and this group in particular. Not previously a country fan but found to my great surprise that this cd rarely leaves my cd player for long. Cafe on the Corner is playing as I write this. Buy it."
Lots Of Good Songs
Mark | San Francisco, CA | 12/30/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The greatest hits package has lots of good songs from their past 3 or 4 albums. Two new songs are also included and are top notch. My favorite is "I Don't Believe In Goodbye". Probably their best known song, "Some Girls Do", is also included. Great ballads abound here also such as "All These Years" and "Cafe On The Corner". You won't go wrong with this album."
The Best Of Their Later Work
K. Fontenot | The Bayou State | 01/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sawyer Brown made their first real impact on "Star Search" many years ago as a somewhat goofy, pop-induced Country act. They made their mark with lightweight songs like "Betty's Bein' Bad" and "Step That Step." As they entered the 90's, Sawyer Brown held fast to their upbeat roots, but delved into deeper and sometimes very touching songs. This particular "Greatest Hits" plainly shows the listener that they're getting the top tunes from the group's albums from 1990-1995. What's amazing is that in only five years they did manage to build up such a catalogue worthy of being called "Greatest Hits."
Things start off with my personal favorite upbeat Sawyer Brown tune, "Some Girls Do." I actually requested that this tune be played at my wedding reception. It's quickly followed by "Thank God For You" and then the album takes a dark turn with "All These Years," which is, in my opinion, the toughest and greatest song ever put out by Sawyer Brown. It deals with not so much with adultery, but with what was happening that lead up to it. It's a great song. After that we get the humbling "Dirt Road" and another uptempo number in "This Time." "The Walk" follows that and shows us a more touching side to the band. "Trouble On The Line," another fun song about a broken heart comes next, followed by the decent "Cafe On The Corner" and "I Don't Believe In Goodbye." The last song on the album is "The Boys & Me" and it closes the album with a lighter touch than the songs that immediately preceded it.
Overall, this is a legitimate "Hits" album. Many other bands will toss a couple of modest hits and some filler tunes into a single album and try to pass it off as a "Greatest Hits" collection, but Sawyer Brown has enough songs in their catalogue to draw from to warrant two "Greatest Hits" collections.
If you enjoy punchy, upbeat Country that straddles that fine line between bands like Exile and Restless Heart, you're sure to enjoy this album from Sawyer Brown.
Highly recommended."
Fine introduction to their music
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 09/20/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sawyer Brown carved their own niche in country music with their brand of mostly lightweight, upbeat songs but with the occasional serious song. As their career progressed, the number of serious songs increased. This collection of their music covering the early nineties showcases both aspects.The set begins with Some girls do, one of Sawyer Brown's best-known songs, typical of their upbeat music. Other songs here in similar vein include Thank god for you, The dirt road, This time, Trouble on the line and The boys and me.Café on the corner is a very poignant song about hard times that shows the serious side of their music. Other reflective songs include All these years, The walk and I don't believe in Goodbye.This is a wonderful collection of music by a group that may at first seem to be just like any other country band but isn't quite like any of the others."