CD REVIEW OF
TERRI CLARK'S
"TERRI CLARK"
(Polygram Records, 1995)
by Sandra L. Toney
(c)1996 EMOL
In the past few years, Nashville has accepted a new breed of country
music singers, namely those of sassy, attitude-driven lady cowgirls
such as Terri Clark. Her debut album, titled simply Terri Clark,
has been a huge success mainly because of her first single off
the album, "Better Things to Do." This song, co-written
by Clark herself, tells the story of getting over a broken relationship
not by crying or staying in bed because, as Clark sings, "I've
got better things to do!" In fact, some of those important
things include, "Check the air in my tires/Straighten my
stereo wires/Count the stars in the sky or just get on with my
life . . ." This song gives every broken-hearted lost relationship
victim new hope!
Another single currently rising on the country charts was penned
by Clark because a friend was complaining about the woes of marriage.
"If I Were You" has Clark feeling that the married woman
is a lucky woman as she croons, "If I were you/I'd run back
home tonight/Tell him everything's all right/Yeah, I know what
I'd do if I were you . . ." I guess she's trying to tell
her listeners to think twice before giving up on love and marriage.
Clark's first release exhibits a combination of ballads and catchy
tunes that is perfect to listen to whatever mood you're in at
the time. Such catchy songs include "When We Had it Bad,"
"Flowers After the Fact," "Was There a Girl on
your Boy's Night Out," and the previous radio-hit, "When
Boy Meets Girl," which explains how a boy's life will change
when he meets that special gal, "He never polished his boots
before/Never thought about what he wore/Never knew he could feel
like that/Now there ain't no way he can ever go back."
Of course, "Better Things to Do" is the best song on
the album ( and perhaps one of the best songs of last year) but
her self-penned ballad, "If I Were You," is a strong
contender for second place. Other possibilities of ballad hits
include "Is Fort Worth Worth It?" "Tyin' A Heart
To A Tumbleweed," and "Suddenly Single."
Overall, Terri Clark's first attempt is a major accomplishment.
This talented singer/songwriter has nowhere to go but UP that
elusive country music ladder of success!
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