"Call Me Crazy" Album Review
By Christian Scalise
“Call Me Crazy”
If you’re looking for an album that represents passion, maturity, honesty, exceptional talent, and a whole lot of REAL COUNTRY, then you have come to the right place! We’d be CRAZY to not give Lee Ann Womack’s latest album FIVE Country Stars Central stars!!
Country music darling, vocal phenomenon Lee Ann Womack makes her highly anticipated return to country music with her seventh studio album, “Call Me Crazy,” produced by the legendary Tony Brown, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the business. (Reba McEntire,
After a three-year hiatus from her 2005 critically-acclaimed album “There’s More Where That Came From,” (awarded Album of the Year in 2005 by the CMA) Lee Ann proves that her absence from the Country Music scene was well worth the wait. I couldn’t be any happier to hear new music from one of the finest voices of all time.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey…. “Call Me Crazy” is an exceptional album, possibly one of Lee Ann’s finest to date, filled with heartaches, story-telling, break-ups, tributes, and a whole lot of drinkin’ tunes! (It’s okay to grab a cold one before popping this CD into your player... you may need it, respectively)
The album’s first single “Last Call” captures listeners’ attention with its pure country style, and striking similarities to past LAW hits “The Fool,” “Never Again, Again,” and “I May Hate Myself In the Morning.” Lee Ann successfully paints the picture of a broken heart, and challenges with love lost on “Last Call.” This stellar tune takes us back to the originality of country music history and its solid structure that greats Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton built their careers upon. What a shame country radio hasn’t given the stellar tune more spins on the airwaves, but why am I not surprised? Oh that’s right…there’s not a hint of pop-influenced country to be found anywhere on this record… Just traditional COUNTRY MUSIC!
There’s a handful of career firsts for Lee Ann this time around with her new album … The biggest one has to be her coming full circle moment on her magical duet with musical hero, country legend, George Strait on the honky-tonk influenced, “Everything But Quits.” The two Texans distinctive voices compliment each other beautifully on the outstanding duet, which possesses all the key ingredients (Real country, Real singers, and Real talent) to become a classic for many years to come.
This also marks the first time Lee Ann has had a creative hand as a songwriter/co-writer on four brand-new tracks, “New Again,” “Have You Seen That Girl,” “If These Walls Could Talk,” and “Everything But Quits.” It’s great to see this side of Lee Ann in the songwriting aspect of music.
The country songbird belts her sweet little heart out on an electrifying cover of the
Womack has a convincing way of turning real-life everyday issues that we face into delicate, emotion-packed offerings that touch your heart and inspire your soul sprinkled with her sensational finesse as an artist! She has the gift of taking any song of any genre and soaring vocally with it.
The unique tune, “The Bees” features harmony vocals by music superstar Keith Urban, but it’s a bit tricky hearing his contribution to the tune unless you listen to it very carefully. The song maintains a steady beat and the meaning of it takes a few times of listening to comprehend. From what I could hear, Lee Ann and Keith’s smoky and strong vocals compliment each other immensely… I wish they had done an actual duet together; that would’ve been killer!
What a touching tribute to the late greats of country on “I Think I Know.” Never one to invoke the names of country icons to their advantage, Lee Ann sings about the losses in life and the things that matter most to us in honor of significant country legends Keith Whitley, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash. Her angelic voice hits hard on this touching tune. Don’t be too surprised if this one brings tears to your eyes.
You’ll find yourself questioning your priorities on the upbeat tune “I Found It In You,” which finds us asking what it is in life that moves us and satisfies our needs. Whether it’s in the magazines we read, the way we spend our earnings, or who we choose to associate with, it all comes down to one thing…. The source of where you find true happiness and in this case it’s with your significant other.
Lee Ann revisits the past on the chilling “Have You Seen That Girl,” (One of the four songs she wrote/co-wrote) a song about a woman questioning the existence of a time when she once took chances, lived life, and kept a positive outlook on her dreams until a few wrong turns jaded her judgment. Lee Ann’s gentle vocals add an almost child-like touch to the moving ballad.
The emotions run deep and wide on the heart-wrenching “If These Walls Could Talk.” The home that holds a lifetime of memories and quarrels lets the walls in for a listen, and share they do. Lee Ann conveys the hurt and disappointment on this stone-cold country creation! The sweet sounds of the pedal steel guitar resonate as Lee Ann serenades.
Lee Ann closes out this magical journey with “The Story Of My Life,” a beautiful song about holding everything sacred in your life close to your heart. This song tells of everything that any person would want their loved ones to practice in life. From the songs opening to its ending, you’ll feel the powerful message that the song displays to the listener. If this song is any indication of how Lee Ann lives her own life, then I have that much more respect for her. I predict this song, (IF released as a single), a fitting follow-up to her smash-hit “I Hope You Dance.”
"Call Me Crazy" Track Listing;
1. Last Call
2. Either Way
3. Solitary Thinking
4. New Again
5. I Found It In You
6. Have You Seen That Girl
7. The Bees
8. I Think I Know
9. If These Walls Could Talk
10. Everything But Quits
11. The King Of Broken Hearts
12. The Story Of My Life
