The Canadian Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year for three years running, Terri Clark isn't even close to anyone's idea of a diva. With Pain to Kill, her fifth collection of songs, she returns to her more u... more »pbeat side after the introspective nature of her previous set, Fearless. Here she proves that she's a take-no-prisoners type of woman who isn't afraid to have a strong side and tell you exactly what she thinks, while making sure to keep it country. Fans of Mary Chapin Carpenter and, perhaps, Emmylou Harris, may find a lot to like here as Clark in many ways, including vocally, takes a cue from their renowned mix of assertiveness, humanity, and winning melodies. --Jim Caligiuri« less
The Canadian Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year for three years running, Terri Clark isn't even close to anyone's idea of a diva. With Pain to Kill, her fifth collection of songs, she returns to her more upbeat side after the introspective nature of her previous set, Fearless. Here she proves that she's a take-no-prisoners type of woman who isn't afraid to have a strong side and tell you exactly what she thinks, while making sure to keep it country. Fans of Mary Chapin Carpenter and, perhaps, Emmylou Harris, may find a lot to like here as Clark in many ways, including vocally, takes a cue from their renowned mix of assertiveness, humanity, and winning melodies. --Jim Caligiuri
I love this cd. Terri has a beautiful voice and I wish she would get more airplay on country radio but I guess she is not with the "in" crowd the stations seem to love. I love all the songs on this cd. I highly recommend it.
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CD Reviews
Pain To Kill ! Terri's Best CD yet !
K. Stuckey | 01/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Pain To Kill ! What an empowering 5th cd from Terri Clark !
With the first drum beat of "I Just Wanna Be Mad", you know you're going to have a great time listening to the other 11 songs!"I Just Wanna Be Mad" is the first hit off of this cd.
(Currently in the Top 10 on the charts) It's an uptempo song about how sometimes two people just need a little space to clear their minds and that helps rejuvenate the relationship."Three Mississippi" is the next single from "Pain To Kill" about doing everything you can to keep a relationship going and when it's just not working out... you eventually have to let go and move on. Count to 3 and I'm outta here!"Pain To Kill" the ROCKIN title track ! A song about having a real bad day and needing to go out and have a good time and get rid of the "pain" ! You can even hear Terri laugh at the very end of the song ! "I Just Called To Say Goodbye" Coming to the realization that the only way the two people in the relationship can grow is to break up and grow separately. The song is about leaving anything behind that you don't need anymore and about the new things yet to be discovered."I Wanna Do It All" a fun upbeat "summer-type" song ! With a determined spirit, Terri sings about all the things she wants to do in life. "I wanna do it all, visit Paris in the fall, watch the Yankees play ball, I wanna take it all in" From the way Terri sings it... she WILL do it all ! "Beatin' the odds with my back to the wall, tryin' to rob Peter without paying Paul, I wanna do it all" This song has fun lyrics with a beat that really sticks in your head ! "Can't Help The One You Love" A heart wrenching song about seeing somebody you love being ripped apart (by a health problem) and there isn't a thing you can do about it. "You wanna scream, you wanna cry, you want someone to tell you why all the hope that's in your heart is not enough" "Almost Gone" a powerful song about getting over a breakup and finding a way to move on without him and realizing she is better off. "Working Girl" an anthem for all the working women out there ! Terri sings about the stereotypes on women and how out of touch they are with the real working girl."Better Than You" with Vince Gill singing backup, Terri sings about the trials and tribulations of dating and how he may think he is breaking her heart by breaking up with her, but she has been loved by better than him ! "Not A Bad Thing" the realization that being single isn't necessarily a bad thing because it allows you to learn more about your own self and will also give you new opportunities you may have missed otherwise."The First To Fall" a love song about being cautious in giving your heart to the other person but knowing someone has to be the first to do it. Knowing the consequences that could be involved if the other person doesn't love you back the same, but also knowing if you don't take that chance now, you might miss it."God And Me" a beautiful introspective song about the relationship between yourself and a higher being. The idea that others may try to force their own views and beliefs on you but what really matters is your own perceptions and how it makes you feel.Of course... this is just my own opinion about the CD... but I suggest you buy it and find out for yourself ! I look forward to reading YOUR review here !!!"
Clark comes back on a mission
K. Stuckey | Port Huron, MI USA | 01/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the CD that is going to make Terri Clark a household name. She has some well-written songs and teamed up once again with producer Keith Stegall and added Nashville hit-maker Byron Gallimore (Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina). The result is a CD that kicks!
There are a lot of great, uptempo songs like the first single "I Just Wanna Be Mad", "Pain to Kill" and "I Wanna Do it All". My favorite songs on the CD are "Three Mississippi", which has a kind of cool Zydeco vibe to it with the accordion, and "God and Me", a mellow song about Terri's relationship with Him. Definitely single material is "I Just Called to Say Goodbye" about moving on and rubbing it in his face a little.
Pain to Kill is Terri's highest debuting album on the charts and I think that is a sign of the BIG things that are going to come from this album! Buy it, you'll love it!"
Beautiful
Chris | Chris in Detroit | 04/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"heartfelt lyrics, great melodies, great voice..........really makes you think about your life in where its heading. "The One you Love" and "I just wanna be Mad" are the best songs........actually all of them are.....I never listened to much country, but Terri......has made it enjoyable for me to listen to her. I look forward to seeing her in concert."
Pain to kill
Jake Z | Canada | 09/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Terri Clark's newest album is truly a treat. Her first album in three years, Terri made a big comeback with the first single "I Just Wanna Be Mad". The song went to #1, and so far in 2003 as I write this, it is the only song by a female country singer to go to #1 on Billboard. "Three Mississippi" is a great song that didn't get as much attention as a single, but her new single "I Wanna Do It All" is getting lots of airplay and is destined to be a hit. The album is more country, than her last album FEARLESS which was more acoustic and raw in its sound and structure. Terri only co-wrote 5 of the 12 songs here but it's a great album nonetheless. The album is truly one of her strongest, right up there with 1998's HOW I FEEL if you ask me. The songs are fairly empowering, songs like "Three Mississippi", "Almost Gone", "God And Me", "Working Girl", and more. My favorites include "God And Me", "I Wanna Do it All", "Pain To Kill", "Better than You", "I Just Called To Say Goodbye" and "Three Mississippi". A great album overall."
Quite an impressive C.D.
Bill Birkett | Michigan | 02/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm not quite sure whether or not this C.D. represents Terri Clark's best work, but it surely is a good C.D. Although it is not quite so artistic as her previous C.D. Fearless, the album seems to make it through without any songs that you would want to skip. It's a bit more commercially acceptable, as Terri only wrote four or five of the songs on it, but I suspect this is due to the financial failure of Fearless, which was in itself a major turning point in her career. This album is not so bluesy and cool as Fearless, and several songs come close to being too much like mainstream pop-country. However, Terri does a stellar job at singing every tune on the album. In short, Pain to Kill reverts back to her previous style without compromising Terri's prospects of innovation. It's good."