Women of Country - The Internet's #1 Guide to Female Country Music

Album Review

Heather Myles
Sweet Talk & Good Lies
Rounder Records

Heather Myles is not your typical country star. She sings traditional country songs and she does it without any regrets that it might be keeping her from obtaining mainstream status. She’s released some solid albums in the past, the best being her 1998 release Highways & Honky Tonks. Now it’s time for fans of traditional country music to rejoice again as Heather Myles has released a follow-up to that album titled Sweet Talk & Good Lies. For those of you looking for a break from the steady stream of pop music that has found its way onto country radio, Heather’s new release is exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

The album opens with the title track, which is signature Heather Myles music where she sings about a lover who keeps doing her wrong but she continues to fall for his “Sweet Talk & Good Lies”. The twangy heartbreak song is such a refreshing change from what you hear all day long when you turn on the radio. Then Heather proceeds to take a shot at Nashville and their current way of making music with “Nashville’s Gone Hollywood” where she sings “You won’t need a steel guitar in your watered down rock and roll/You might even find yourself on the cover of the Rolling Stone/You’ll be looking mighty fine in your designer clothes/You won’t need the Opry/You’ll be singing on Jay Leno.” It all works because there is that ring of truth to what she’s singing.

Heather Myles has always struck me as a kind of female version of Dwight Yoakam and music fans are in for a treat with “Little Chapel,” a duet with Dwight. Their voices blend together well and by the time the song is over you realize just how much these two talented artists have in common musically. If you’re a fan of Dwight Yoakam, you’ll feel right at home with a Heather Myles record. Heather also tackles the often-remade “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” and makes it her own.

The current single “Big Cars” has Heather singing about her love for big, vintage cars like the one she owns. It’s a humorous and slightly strange song but again it all works. Heather doesn’t miss the mark very often, even when taking some risks. “Sweet Little Dangerous” could be the best song on the album with its upbeat romp through honky tonk sounds. It’s one of those in-your-face attitude songs and Heather pulls it off very well.

Sweet Talk & Good Lies is another solid album from Heather Myles and a successful follow-up to Highways & Honky Tonks. Heather secures her spot as one of the steadfast supporters of traditional country music and we should all be thankful for that. Listening to this record reminds you of the things that the current batches of albums coming out of Nashville are missing. You owe it to yourself to give this record a try.

Album Review by Jeff Krasky

The WOC Rating Scale

The album stands above the rest. This is a record that every country music fan needs to have in their collection.

This album is better than the average release. A strong record with some flaws that keep it from reaching that 5 star level.

This album is an average country release. Doesn't posses qualities that make it stand out among all the other albums out there.

A weak record that lacks solid songs or good vocal performances. Sample before you buy.

This record is a bargin-bin reject that just isn't worth the time or the money. Completely misses the mark.