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

Album Review

Lee Ann Womack
Greatest Hits
MCA Records

Greatest Hits collections seem to be coming out with greater frequency and from artists who might only have three or four studio albums to their credit. It seems as soon as the label has enough songs to make a 11 or 12 track album they tack on a couple new songs and throw a greatest hits album out the door. Lee Ann Womack's first Greatest Hits album is not much different. It's a collection of a large number of the singles released from her four albums and two new songs. This makes it a great introduction to Lee Ann Womack and pretty much a waste of money for any long time fan who already owns the original studio albums.

The two new songs on this album are kind of a return to form for Lee Ann Womack. They both drop a lot of the production gloss which made her last album such a snooze. Lee Ann sounds best when she's fronting a country band and singing a country song. Her voice has a wonderful twang that suits this type of music perfectly and maybe she's starting to realize that fact once again. "The Wrong Girl" is kind of a smart-ass, you're looking in the wrong direction for love kind of tune. Lee Ann delivers these kinds of playful tunes with ease as we've seen in the past with songs like "(Now You See Me) Now You Don't" which also makes an appearance here. The other new tune is a solid ballad titled "Time For Me To Go".

All of the hits are here from Lee Ann's first single "Never Again, Again" to more recent smash hits like "I Hope You Dance" and "Something Worth Leaving Behind". It's interesting to listen to Womack's evolution from one of the more traditional sounding female artists of the time to a slick country pop diva the likes of Faith Hill. Listening to some of these songs again it makes you realize she pulls both off well and it also makes you long for another album full of the kind of music found on her first two albums.

Overall, this greatest hits collection falls prey to the same problems of any greatest hits collection. If you don't own any Lee Ann Womack albums and want to have just the songs you've heard on radio then this is the album for you. If you're a dedicated fan looking for something new then you're going to disappointed with only two new tracks being included. It's about time that labels do more to make greatest hits albums attractive to the long time fan. An acoustic version of a few tracks or even remixed versions would add some value. There is no doubting that Lee Ann Womack is one of the more talented vocalists of the current batch of country singers and this album serves as a fine overview of where she's been musically over the last seven years.

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.