Family

Family which LeAnn admits is her most personal record to date,clearly shows her continued growth as an artist in general and a songwriter in particular.She wrote(or co-wrote)all of the songs on the cd(which is a first in her career thus far).The first single off the cd 'Nothin Better To Do' cracked Billboards Top 20 and the video was in heavy rotation on CMT and to a lesser degree on GAC.The song is very original,upbeat and the video perfectly suited the song and is Ms.Rimes best video to date. Some have been critical of the song citing that they cannot make out the words.This is weak.If you can't make out all the words,read them in the cd booklet.I can think of many great songs by many different artists where all the words cannot be clearly discerned. It can perhaps be classified as another vocal style.LeAnn's live performance of NBTD on the CMT music awards was spectacular.The best song on the cd(and one of the greatest songs that she has recorded thus far)is 'What I Cannot Change' which has just gone to radio(and is her third single off the record).The vocal performance of WICC is gut wrenching and drenching with emotion and the lyrics are as powerful as the vocal delivery.One Day Too Long is a classic bluesy song that also is performed with great emotional power and depth. It is just further evidence (and there has been plenty in LeAnn's impressive career)that she can sing any style of music with enourmous skill(as if that was the only type of music that she recorded).There is a good mix of upbeat songs(Family,NBTD,Upper Hand)and slower songs(I Want You With Me,Pretty Things,WICC,When You Love Someone Like That-the duet with Reba).Every song is quality(no filler here).What I Cannot Change is Grammy worthy and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.LeAnn just continues to get better with age and 'Family'gives ample evidence of that from start to finish.It is exciting to anticipate what is yet to come from this creative juggernaut.

If you're not a big fan of country and western or of Leean Rimes then this album might change your mind and change your heart...The little girl who blew everyone away with her big voice and who sang in a similar manner as the late and great Patsy Cline, who went thorough family problems and whose personal life at times has read a bit like a scandal has come of age with an album in which she co-wrote the majority of all of the songs and presents them with style and voicings that reach an emotional level she had not attained to previously.The production of the ablum and the engineering is excellent and brings out the tones and nuances of every word, instrument, tempo and movement.This is country, blues, swing and a little rock, with duets with Reba, Bon Jovi, More Broussard as well as songs sung as only Leean can sing them.Simply put, this is sensational album that regardless of your musical preferrence will strike a cord within your heart and one which you will find yourself listening too over and over again.

Leann Rimes is an amazing talent and has established herself as a force to be reckoned with as a country artist with an immense catalogue of work established at a very young age. This cd is a very important stepping stone in her career. She has cowritten many of the songs here and a more mature sound is established.Some songs work better here than others. Standouts are FAMILY, ONE DAY TOO LONG and WHAT I CANNOT CHANGE. Both bonus tracks, duets with Bon Jovi and Reba McEntire, are also very effective. There is a problem on some songs here though. On NOTHIN BETTER TO DO, FIGHT and DOESN'T EVERYBODY her vocals are strong but her articulation is off and it is difficult to understand the words she is singing. This is apparent more on this cd than previous ones and she must be careful that it doesn't become stronger as she develops into even more of an adult artist.The cd is not her best but it is certainly very good. And on ONE DAY TOO LONG, already mentioned, she lets loose more than ever before. It is a bluesy, major belting ballad done expertly.Enjoy.

and that means I have missed years of enjoyment. I have been buying recordings for 45 years and it has been decades since I listened to an album over and over without skipping any tracks. I have been accustomed to skipping half of what is offered on today's albums. So much of current recordings are mixed and synthesized into a muddy mess and you don't really know what the singer really sounds like. This is a real jewel. Every one of these songs could easily stand as a single. Leann Rimes has an extraordinary voice and it is a real shame that she has been virtually ignored when it comes time for the annual music awards. If you haven't listened to this lady since the days of "Blue" and "How Can I Live?" give this a try. Granted this is "old" music now but that means it is a real bargain. If you like Leann Rimes at all buy this. You won't be disappointed.

It had been a few years since I paid attention to Leann Rimes, I don't know why. I recently created a Dixie Chicks Pandora station, there I heard the song "What I Cannot Change" for the firt time. It had an impact in my ears so I had to get this CD, even after reading the negative reviews. I'm so glad I disregarded them. I liked all the songs. Leann has a unique voice and her songs are hers, herself, trying to please people is not acceptable in my book.

Like LeeAnn Rimes but this CD I just dont care for,But her recent Cds are very good and her greatest hits. And LeeAnn has a great voice which you don't hear much anymore.

Every Leann Rimes follower have to have this album

This was the first album for which LeAnn co-wrote all the songs. It seems that she's not a natural songwriter, but she knew what she wanted to sing about and enlisted the right people to help her. The title track shows that she comes from a family that has its problems but is nevertheless strong enough to stick together. It's a much more realistic song than Dolly Parton's identically titled song that basically says that within a family, everything can be forgiven. The three hits from the album were Nothin' better to do (top 20 country, also a minor UK hit), Good friend and a glass of wine (top 40 country) and What I cannot change, an excellent ballad that became a #1 hit in the American dance chart.Two bonus tracks include When you love someone like that, a duet with Reba that also appears on her duets album. Of the other tracks, I particularly like Doesn't everybody.An interesting album, which I hve oplayed quite a lot.

Leann wrote all these songs on personal experiences. I weren't sure of the album at first, but i now like it.All of these songs are ballads, there's some fast ones.

several of my favourite songs on this cd so am very pleased with my purchase, what an amazing voice.

It's Leann Rimes, if you're a fan as I am, you'll love it.

Typical Leann a great set of tunes delivered effortlessly. Beautiful vocals and great diction on all songs a really good buy