Dress Rehearsal [Enhanced, Import]

Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Carolyn Dawn Johnson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 8, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Import
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B0001VOHFC
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,392 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #80 in Music > Imports > Country

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Carolyn Dawn Johnson's sophomore effort proves just what the young Canadian learned the first time out. Where her debut, Room with a View, spawned the pop-ish hit records "Complicated" and "I Don't Want You to Go," it was an uneven effort that too obviously revealed her tentativeness as she made her way from songwriter to artist. Dress Rehearsal, on the other hand, presents a far more mature performer and artful writer. Johnson still maintains what made her special in the first place--her Everywoman approach to life, love, and the pursuit of romantic (now wedded) bliss. As "Simple Life" and "God Doesn't Make Mistakes" show, she's just as insecure as the rest of us, if only more poetic. Thankfully, über-producer Dan Huff restrains himself here, managing to incorporate hyperventilating rock guitar and aggressive percussion without losing a modern country feel, though Johnson might do well to loosen up even more on her beguiling rhythm numbers, particularly "My Little Secret," which reprises the barely contained lust of "Complicated." A pretty face and a winsome personality go a long way, but who wouldn't like to know more about the animal side of those hidden desires? --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Cool sophmore effort, January 21, 2005

By 

J. Humphreville "Compulsive CD Buyer" (Antioch, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dress Rehearsal (Audio CD)

Picked up this cd on the day of release as I was very excited for it, beng a huge supporter of her first album. I enjoy this album an awful lot. The lead off single "Simple Life" is just so fun and catchy even though the writing talents of CDJ are not displayed. However another fun tune is "Squeezin The Love Outta You." This one is just a great time. As is "Head over High Heels." I love puttign these tunes on in the car. The title track is an incredibly written tune. CDJ is just a great writer and it shows.
One complaint. Her lyrics are always way above average however, some of them do not neccesarily translate to song. They may be better served as poetry than lyrics. This is nto to say there is a bad song on the album, it is just that some of the feel is not as good as it could be with these weighty lyrics.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still a "Rehearsal", May 30, 2004

By 

Timothy Yap "thy4568" (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dress Rehearsal (Audio CD)

Prime Cuts: We Talked, God Doesn't Make Mistakes, Just Another Plane

Being the creator of such hits such as "I'd Be Yours" (Linda Davis), "Single White Female" (Chely Wright), "When We Don't Talk" (Ilse DeLange) amongst others, Johnson has parlayed her craft to this her sophomore album "Dress Rehearsal." Save for "Simple Life," Johnson has had a hand in co-writing all of the tracks here. Collaborating with other Nashville writing elite such as Craig Wiseman, Shaye Smith, Charlie Black, Troy Verges, "Dress Rehearsal" is tailored made for radio. It's a polished pop country album offering a cornucopia of songs dealing with topics safely reprised within country music's canon.

Johnson's preference for the rustic life, a theme well explored a la Alan Jackson and Mary Chapin Carpenter, is the thesis of the lead single "Simple Life." "Simple Life" starts off well with an organic feel with some jaunty guitar work but soon gives way to become, in an ironic way, one of Johnson's busiest track. With its tepid melody and suffocating production, "Simple Life" is not my choice for the first single. Much better are "High over High Heels" and "He's Mine"-both peppy, upbeat, pop-country fares that would not be out of place in fellow Canadian vocalist Shania Twain's repertoire.

Living in the aftermath of 9/11 country music, thanks to Tim McGraw, Brad Cotter, Alan Jackson, have been proliferated with songs encouraging us to cherish life and cape diem ("seize the day"). Johnson adds her take on this tired and true theme on the title track "Dress Rehearsal." Without any shove of new insights, nevertheless, Johnson sings home a timely message, "Life doesn't wait for us to get it right... Time is irreversible, this ain't no dress rehearsal."

However, the album's most gratifying moments come when the beat tapers; Johnson's never sounded more sincere than when she sings a ballad. Caressing the lyrics with her mellifluous vocals, Johnson makes the plaintive ballad and current single "Die of a Broken Heart" an event to be experienced. Similarly touching is the therapeutic "We Talked" and the ingratiating "Just Another Plane." The latter, being a little reminiscent of Deana Carter's excellent "People Miss Trains" has a timbre of pain to it that is just moving. Dove tailing Nashville's obsession with songs with inspirational messages, "God Doesn't Make Mistakes" details a homily of self-acceptance that most of us should take to heart. With its restrained guitar backing, Johnson sensitively sings, "I'm ok the way God made me... I'm always gonna be a better me than anyone else. God doesn't make mistake." A track aplomb with relevancy and performed with sensitivity.

However, not all the songs work here. Being too eager to placate the support of country radio, Dann Huff's production is at times too crowded. "Life As We Know It," "Squeezin' the Love out of You," "My Little Secret" (the follow up to Johnson's breakthrough hit "Complicated") are entertaining but forgettable. Maybe, Johnson's also suffering from the second album slum: some of these melodies here are not as strong as her debut effort. Anyway, despite such criticism, there are enough songs here, especially the ballads, that warrant repeated listens to this worthy though not stellar album.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CDJ outdid Room with a View!, May 31, 2004

By 

Tara L. Wesely "joliemidwestgirl" (Bellevue, NE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dress Rehearsal (Audio CD)

This is CD is incredible! I love it! Every song is fantastic!! I especially love "Squeezin' The Love Outta You", "Head over High Heels" and of course, her latest single, "Die of a Broken Heart". This is a must have CD if you are a country fan!!