Customer Reviews

Brave

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jamie O'Neal finally returns with a follow up album to her fantastic 2000 debut SHIVER. With a great debut album like that, it's hard to come up with something just as good. In that respect, BRAVE is not as good as SHIVER. It's still got some great tracks though. A lot are leftovers from her unreleased 2003 album for Mercury Records, she was then dropped and signed to Capitol Records, and here we are now. The first single "Trying To Find Atlantis" is a top 20 hit and it's lots of fun, a great uptempo song. Other older songs making the cut are the fantastic ballads "When Did You Know", "On My Way To You", and "Ready When It Comes". The new songs will take more getting used to for me but some highlights include "Follow Me Home", "Girlfriends" (bound to be a big hit), and the title track. Overall, it's good to have her back in the music fold!

Prime Cuts: When Did You Know, Brave, Ready When It Comes

If a picture could paint a thousand words, O'Neal's latest CD cover speaks volumes. With her bronze tan and her platinum blonde locks, O'Neal's new Tara Reid looks compasses the direction of her latest musical venture. Slink, trendy, polished and pop-country savvy, "Brave" is glittered with all the beeps and whistles of modern pyrotechnics and a few sonic surprises (including hand claps, a kids' chorus and dogs barking). Fans of this Australian's debut record "Shiver," will find have much to savor as "Brave" continues the pop-country in-roads already paved by O'Neal's previous effort. Nevertheless, as a Nash-pop record, how does it flare? There is at least a knockout, a few tracks that could pass muster and a few perfunctory fillers.

Nowadays, few tracks have that arresting prowess to stop the listener dead in the tracks as in the Monty Criswell & Tim Mensy composition "When Did You Know." A gorgeous piano-and-strings power ballad punctuated with the penetrating chorus: "When did you know I wasn't the one," the demise of romance has had never been so acerbically captured in song. Fueled by O'Neal's melismatic delivery, this is powerful stuff---a track that has hit written all over it and it absolutely deserves incessant airplay.

Other soul stirring moments abound: the title cut, co-penned by O'Neal, is a little homily about weathering the storms of life. With her heartfelt delivery that resembles a more mature sounding LeAnn Rimes "Brave" is bound to incur "Amens" of ascent. Somehow this theme of strength in the midst of tribulation is carried over to the propulsive "Ready When It Comes." Co-written by O'Neal, Beth Neilsen Chapman and Annie Roboff, "Ready When It Comes" with its inviting melody and its inspirational lyrics are sure to assuage those who had been haggard by life.

The rest of the songs are pretty average: lead single "Trying to Find Atlantis," is a catchy upbeat number whereby the search for Mr. Right is likened to the hunt for the mythical city. However, though "Atlantis" is cute and novel, it's no where near the grandeur of being a musical world wonder. On the hand, with its heavy synth work, "Naïve" sounds like it belongs to a Lindsay Lohan album. The self-indulgent "I Love My Life" starts off with dogs barking and every cliché you can ever find in a country song. The banjo driven backings does not save this song from its ignominy. However, the real dub is the River Rutherford co-penned "Devil on the Left." Somehow someone must believe that more is better, this is why on this swampy blues rocker, almost everything is thrown in: from a "gospel" like choir, to a kids' chorus, to hand claps and soaring (and often deafening) guitars. And the ensuring result is that "Devil on the Left" is a work of chaos with the guitars almost drowning out a breathless O'Neal.

Ironically, "Brave" isn't O'Neal's most courageous album. Very much the songs color very safely within the bounds of current country music coming from Nashville. Though "When Did You Know" is a gem, it is indeed a career record in the making.

The wait is finally over for Jamie O'Neal's long awaited follow up to the 2000 hit cd Shiver and she delivers the goods. If you want a variety of music and styling this is the cd for you

Top pics; Tryin to find Atlantis, Devil on the left, Brave, When did you know and Naive.

The only downside to this cd in my opinion is the fact that she has a few filler songs that are lighthearted fun songs that celebrate her friends and family ( Girlfriends and I love my life). These songs also would mostly appeal to females ( being a male these are my least favorites)

Overall this is a great cd and Jamie O'Neal is one of the best female country vocalists out there today

It may have taken Jamie awhile to get this album out but it is well worth the wait. You will not be disappointed by this well rounded album filled with great country ballads, a Jamie talent, along with the upbeat and sultry tunes that will have you hitting the rewind button.

Enjoy!

Jamie O'Neal has finally released her second album. Originally slated to be released in 2003, she suddenly left Mercury before it's release, and the album remained unreleased. A few of the songs make an appearance on BRAVE, including "When Did You Know", "On My Way To You", "Ready When It Comes" and the first single "Tryin To Find Atlantis". They are all fine songs in their own right, but the rest of the alubm doesn't follow up. In fact the only other songs I like are the title track, "Follow Me Home" and "Girlfriends". The rest of the album is lackluster at best. "Naive" tries to have that nostalgic feel to it, but the lyrics just ruin the song, it just doesn't fit like it should. "Somebody's Hero", the second single, is a bland anthem for mothers. This is a real disapointment, since we had her marvelous debut album SHIVER, this doesn't even come close.

I loved her last CD [Shiver] and have looked forward to the new CD for some time and on the first couple of times around not been disappointed. The first single "Looking for Atlantis" is a good bouncy start and you like that then "Naive" and "I Love My Life" are similar. My personal favorite is "When Did You Know" with "Follow Me Home" a close second. Another classy collection from a classy lady that can REALLY sing, I have no idea why she isn't a bigger star - yet!

Jamie O'Neal hit the country scene in 2000 with the award-winning album "Shive" which included the hit single "When I Think About Angels," and now, 5 years later, Jamie has proved that she still has the voice and the attitude that it takes to make it big, on the new follow-up album "Brave."

The album starts out with "Trying To Find Atlantis," which is the first hit single and moves onto "Naive," which is about love and just running away from true love then followed by "Somebody's Hero." More of the stand out tracks are "Devil On The Left" and "On My Way To You." With the new album "Brave" I can listen to the full album without skipping one track!! I can't wait for the next album from Jamie O'Neal. This girl has proof that you can leave and come back again with style!!

Jamie O'Neal is a seasoned storyteller on her second CD Brave - happy, sad, hope, want and joy - she hits the emotions all perfectly like she has lived each and every song. It includes two songs about mothers and daughters, "Somebody's Hero" is a touching story of a daughter taking care of her mother after the mother raised her so well and "I Love My Life" is about Jamie's personal bliss. I really relate to "Ready When It Comes" and "Trying to Find Atlantis", and always sing along with "Girlfriends". Jamie's voice is awesome and I'm glad she's back.

This album is a collection of songs that are simply fun to listen to, especially "Trying to Find Atlantis" "Naive" "Girlfriends" and "I Love My Life." The album does come accross as somewhat formulaic and not very original, which prevents it from getting 5 stars. But on the whole, it's a fun, enjoyable listen and definitely worth the listener's time.

WOW this CD is real good it doesn't take a breath. its a great sound and some good writhing as well Jamie wrote 9 out of 11 songs on the CD. if radio gives this CD a chance she will be even bigger then her first CD ... this CD reminds me of Reba's "read my mind" faith hills "breathe" and shania's "the women in me" those aren't bad names to be billed with LOL. I wasnt aware she could hold notes and sing like that i saw her in concert but i guess i didint get the full picture

from the opening drums on "trying to find alantis to the end of "i love my life this cd takes you all over the map with a few heat beats and a few tears and alot of dancing she sings like martina/celine/mariah/dolly its GREAT


some of the best songs are

Trying to find alantis
Naive
Devil On my left
girlfriends
ready when it comes
Brave