Customer Reviews

Crystal Sands

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Sometimes an album comes along that "Knocks you socks off". For me, this is one of them. I first heard Crystal singing "A bottle of wine and Patsy Cline" on "Willies Place", and was immediately hooked. A quick search of Amazon hooked me up with the album, which far exceeded my expectations. There is not a mediocre track on this album, in fact, I find it hard to decide which is my favorite, they are all that good. From the writing, the music, and of course, the vocals, this is classic country at it's best. I believe this album is a classic in the making. It did for me what Randy Travis's debut album, (Storms of Life), did over 20 years ago. It will always remain a pity that country stations today play rock/pop under the guise of country, and therefore albums like this just don't get played. Hopefully Crystal and her crew can overcome the obstacles and be heard, because it would be hard for me to believe that there is not a huge audience out there waiting to hear a class act such as this. I'm sure it goes without saying, "buy this album", you will not be dissapointed.

Norm
Seattle, WA

Prime Cuts: Everytime I Think It's Over (with Ron Williams), Happy, Train Leaving Dallas

The retro sounds of the honky tonk are alive and well, thanks to Crystal Sands' debut CD. A disciple of the old school country where the steel guitar and fiddles are no longer just for added embellishment, Sands delivers a gorgeous collection of solid country tunes. Sounding a little like LeAnn Rimes, Sands does has the pipes to boast especially when she lets her vocals soar on the big balladry of "Not Any Closer." Yet, the secret ammunition is the contribution of co-producer Wood Newton. The assiduous country fan would recognize Newton as the songwriter to ultra country hits such as David Ball's career defining "Riding with Private Malone" and Kenny Rogers' number 1 "Twenty Years Ago." Newton certainly lives up to his peerless reputation by contributing seven cuts here, some of which were co-written with Sands and other notables such as Kent Blazy, John Wiggins and Sarah Majors. In fact, each of Newton's composition here are top notched with exquisitely catchy tunes and well-thought out lyrics.

One of the best cuts co-written by Wood here is "Everytime I Think It's Over." First covered by Conway Twitty, this mid-tempo tune of lingering love finds Sands dueting with an otherwise unknown Ron Williams. Williams' light tenor which calls to mind a lower registered Vince Gill perfectly complements Sands' melissmatic delivery. Though album opener, "Hank You," a Sarah Majors and Wood Newton co-write, suffers from trying too hard to make the Hank Williams connection, it's still an irresistible toe-tapper taken right out of one of those Texas dance halls. Similarly on her co-write with Newton's "Wrapped Around His Finger," Sands sends spirits soaring on this Patsy Cline-esque ballad that speaks of love's strange entanglements. Speaking of Cline, the Queen of country music is the subject of "Bottle of Wine and Patsy Cline." It's the perfect country that plays on all the traditional motifs of country music from drinking to cheating to Patsy, of course. Yet, it still works.

However, with Sands' nod towards traditional country, this does not mean that this record has a dated sound. On the alluring "These Are Them" Sands waxes her sensual antics on this gritty tune that breaks at the right moments for effects. While Cleve Francs' "Happy" lives up to its title as Sands celebrates the joys of falling in love with added pedal steel commentary. Yet, the album's showstopper is "Train Leaving Dallas," a mournful story song that tells of individuals taking enough courage to make changes in their lives. Sands' emotive delivery is certainly spine chilling.

Though independently released, the sound quality is toe to toe with any major label product out there. However, in terms of song quality, it's certainly head and shoulders above most country discs out there. For pundits of traditional country and those who long for strong smartly written songs, Crystal Sands' CD will not disappoint.