American Child

Phil Vassar

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 6, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B00006BXJR
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #203,172 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Former Nashville club owner and celebrated songwriter Phil Vassar took country's mainstream by storm with his self-titled 2000 debut. On American Child, his follow-up, Vassar's accomplished performances, along with his intense romanticism and best-of-all-worlds optimism, once again shine through boldly on smooth yet impassioned originals like "Baby, You're Right," "Stand Still," "Ultimate Love," and the wistfully patriotic title tune. Even on soul searchers and potential downers like "I Thought I Would Never Forget" and "Someone You Love," Vassar never sounds like his angst is much more than skin deep or his romantic confusion more than a fleeting glint of gray in life's unflaggingly sunny skies. Thus his sophomore song collection, with its robust mixture of artistry, confidence, and earnest hopefulness, will likely expand the robust middle-of-the-road audience he cultivated with his celebrated debut. --Bob Allen

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Recently re-released with additional tracks, March 3, 2003

By	James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This former songwriter to the country stars (Tim, Alan, Jo Dee) may list Merle and Willie as influences in his bio, but it's Bruce Hornsby who comes to mind when one listens to the prominently-placed piano and mandolin on Vassar's first two releases. He earns his spot in country music, however, with his impressive ability to consistently merge life experiences with strong melodies.

Unsurprisingly, Vassar had a hand in writing all twelve tracks on this second outing. He takes his stab at post-9/11 patriotism with the "anything is possible in America" sentiments of the title track. Humor also figures strongly in the mix with the witty wordplay of "Athens, Grease" (think early Clint Black) and the commitment phobic "Houston (We Got A Problem)." Relationships are a dominant theme throughout, running the gamut from the rollicking remembrance of a high school flame "Forgettin's So Long" to the poignantly lovestruck ballad "Already Gone."

Recently, this album was re-released with two additional tracks which strengthen the cd considerably. One is the timely single "This Is God," which finds Vassar taking on the role of our heavenly father in order to question the chaos going on in the world. The other is a remake of the Huey Lewis & The News hit "Workin' For A Living" as a duet with Lewis himself. It's long been a highlight of Vassar's stage show and its frenetic tempo adds some much needed balance to the serious far.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phil Vassar remains incredible!, August 9, 2002

By	"allicat2u" (Hickory, NC USA) - See all my reviews

Phil Vassar is truly one of the most talented artists out there in the country genre. His latest CD only screams that fact more loudly. His clever lyrics and balanced melodies make this a sure-fire hit with any country fan. He has been a talented songwriter for years, with hits like Alan Jackson's "Right On the Money", Jo Dee Messina's "I'm Alright" and "Bye Bye", and Tim McGraw's "In My Next Thirty Years". Now he's singing his own songs and making quite a splash in the music world. Phil Vassar is by far my favorite artist, and this CD was in no way a disappointment. There are a variety of songs on this CD, including up-tempo-drive-with-the-windows-down pieces like "Forgettin's So Long" and "Athens Grease", love songs that you have to sing along with, including "Baby You're Right" and "Ultimate Love", and the slower ballads like "Stand Still" and "I'm Already Gone" (previously recorded by Diamond Rio, but written by Phil). Of course, it also includes the hit single "American Child".

I would definitely recommend this CD to anyone that loves country music - you cannot help but smile when you hear this talented artist.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another "Phabulous" Phil CD!!, September 2, 2002

By	K. Stuckey "kateling" (Port Huron, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Phil Vassar's new CD is even better than I first expected. I knew the title track from the radio and his live show. I loved it from the get-go because of it's timeliness and heart.

Phil once again shows his songwriting chops, the songs range from the upbeat ("Forgettin's So Long") to the touching ("I'm Already Gone" - with some incredible work by the Nashville String Machine). My favorite song, besides "American Child" is the kind of silly "Athens Grease" - it is great to crank up and sing along with in the car! The AC/DC type guitar intro is very different and cool!! "Ultimate Love" is a great song about not having a lot of money, but being rich in another way. The awesome ballad "Stand Still" gives me a chill when I hear Phil velvety voice beg for time to stop! Another awesome toe-tapping song is "Someone You Love" - it is kind of like a continuation of "That's When I Love You" from his first CD.

There is NOT a bad song on this CD, you can listen to it from beginning to end. Phil Vassar is a savior of country music - his songs are timeless and honest, the hallmarks of country music. I look forward to hearing from him for a long, long, long time!