Customer Reviews

Good Thing Going

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Prime Cuts: Water Is Wide (Duet with Keith Urban), I Give All My Love to You (Duet with Russell Moore) , I Will See You Again

Vincent with her array of sturdy bluegrass-tilted offerings has given vitality to this traditional genre. With "Good Thing Going" she sets herself out with another even loftier goal: bluegrass is not just your standard fare of picking-bowing-plucking-chopping exercise. Rather, bluegrass CDs can be rich with versatility encompassing a plethora of emotions from the brooding laments of heartbreak to the incessant ecstasy of burgeoning love and commitment. Backed by the Rage (Vincent's own road band), fiddle star Stuart Duncan and flat-picking guitar ace Bryan Sutton, this 12-song collection is impeccably well-played and the production (from brother Darrin Vincent) is state of the art. Also, this time Vincent does not just take the singing spotlight. Rather, her mandolin-picking expertise is on extravagant display. And so is her songwriting prowess, as the lady of bluegrass showcases 5 of her own solo compositions.

Most captivating about his set of recordings is when Vincent croons a ballad. Here the ballads are aplenty with "I Give All Love To You" being the prime. A gentle ode to the exultation of eternal love, this melodic ballad is sung as a duet with IIIrd Tyme's Russell Moore. Also interesting is Vincent's make-over of the Celtic chesnut "The Water is Wide." With its mournful fiddling, the gentle strumming of the guitar and country heartthrob Keith Urban's slightly husky duet vocals, "The Water is Wide" has been transformed into an exquisite affair that emanates from the recesses of the heart. Vincent takes a 180-degree lyrical turn with "I Will See You Again" a gentle pastoral homily of hope and love in the midst of death and despair that is done with sensitivity. Further, Vincent's angelic vocals elevates this ballad to a level of transcendence.

When Vincent does kick up the dust, she does it with class and finesse especially on her self-penned album opener "I'm Leaving." Similarly, listen for some fierce sounding fiddle and mandolin race to speedy perfection on the super faced paced "Hit Parade of Love." However, not everything works: besides the exquisite playing, there is nothing too earth shattering about the requisite heartbreak theme of "Who's Cryin' Baby." While the mid-tempo lament of faithless love "Scorn of a Lover" just does not capture the ache and pain as well as it could have been.

Overall, Vincent is still stalwart in putting new spins without falling into trappings often associated with a traditional genre like bluegrass music. Further, her choice of more ballads on this new disc has been most welcomed. It has introduced us to her softer side that might act as a bridge for those who are not fans of hardcore bluegrass. Some of these ballads verge so close to country that they may also work on country radio. In short, with this new effort Vincent has a good thing going for her.

I have been a Rhonda Vincent fan for a few years , I have even met her a couple of times now and her new music never disappoints. This CD is great from front to back and sideways. I have always been partial to songs about getting out of here, so "I'm Leavin'" is kind of my favorite, along with "Water is Wide" (featuring Keith Urban), it is so beautiful and haunting. "Just One of a Kind" has a great groove. "I Gotta Start Somewhere" is another melancoly song about trying to forget someone. There are some great upbeat songs too, like "Hit Parade of Love" and "Who's Cryin' Baby". "Bluegrass Saturday Night" is a self portrait and a lot of fun. Rhonda Vincent's vocals soar and the Ragers play hard on this record. This batch of songs are especially great because they are so relatable to everyday life.

Rhonda Vincent refuses to be pigeon holed by releasing Bluegrass or Country CDs. She gives us a lively mix, heavy on Bluegrass with elements of Nashville Country, resulting in a sound that has a real appeal to both groups. Good Thing Going is a pleasing mix of songs showcasing her considerable talent. The listener is never allowed to get complacent with a quick changes in pace from I Gotta Start Somewhere to Who's Crying Baby or the excellent lyrics of World's Biggest Fool. Bluegrass Saturday Night is a joy and wraps the sessions with great fun and a sold nod to her history.
This is an excellent CD and well worth buying.

Rhonda has done it again! I love the country/bluegrass mix. Her last cd was still great but not as good as previous recordings...this one puts her back up on top!

I absolutely love Hit Parade of Love and Bluegrass Saturday night!! The more I listen to this cd, the better it gets!! I didn't think that was possible!!

Trust me, you won't be disappointed!!

Review by Christian Scalise



"Good Thing Going"



Bluegrass sensation; the very talented singer/songwriter/musician Rhonda Vincent has a new album to offer her fans!! Her latest release "Good Thing Going" features five new original songs either written or co-written by Rhonda!!



What a great way to start off the album with the song "I'm Leavin.'" It's an up-tempo and sassy "kiss off" song that features some great pickin'!! The song showcases Rhonda's exceptional vocal talents. "World's Biggest Fool" has a "western swing" feel to it and the story behind the song will make you chuckle!! What a uniquely clever song!!



On the ballad, "I Give All My Love To You" Rhonda sings of a beautiful connection that is shared between two people. The song features a phenomenal duet with Russell Moore. His vocals add a very special touch to this heartfelt tune!! This song is sure to be a classic for many years to come!! Rhonda's voice sounds so angelic and pure on this tune.



"Good Thing Going" is another up-tempo tune that is somewhat autobiographical to Rhonda Vincent's own life. She wrote the song after speaking to her husband on the phone while out on the road. She decided that things were going great in her life and she wanted to write about it. She chose to use "Good Thing Going" as the albums title.



"Scorn Of A Lover" starts off with the harmonic sounds of the mandolin followed by the chilling sounds of the fiddle. The song tells a story of a heartbroken individual whose relationship with their significant other has gone astray. Rhonda paints the picture of this song and takes you to that time and place where it came from. This song is definitely one of the gems on the album!!



"Hit Parade Of Love" takes you back to the country with its traditional sound and tongue in cheek lyrics!! Rhonda is feisty and ready to roll on this song!! The song is fast and delightful. It's a rollercoaster ride that twists and turns ending with a rush that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready to hit the dance floor!! This song features a wicked solo by the fiddle!!



"I Will See You Again" is a heartfelt ballad that will move your heart in a positive way. The lyrics were carefully crafted and tell the story of losing the ones that we love and cherish in our lives. It chronicles to the death of Jesus Christ which adds a nice spiritual touch to the song!!



"Just One Of A Kind" is a pleasing upbeat song that is sure to win you over!! It's a carefree, fresh song that is reminiscent of young love. Rhonda's vocals soar phenomenally on this tune!! The song was written by gospel legend Dottie Rambo who Rhonda calls a "real inspiration."



"I Gotta Start Somewhere" is a touching dedication to the special someone in your life. It's a good one to listen to with a good glass of wine, your significant other, and some candles!!



"Who's Cryin' Baby," a spunky "in your face" up beat song will have you jammin' on your feet!! It's another song that will lift you spirits because of its clever light heartedness.



"The Water Is Wide" is a very special song that will immediately give you chills. It features country star Keith Urban as the duet partner. Who doesn't love the sound of Keith Urban's rugged and distinctive voice?!? What a great combination!! Rhonda and Keith's voices blend well together on this enchanting song. The song is almost haunting because of it's arrangement but it is very beautiful!! Very touching!!



The album closes out with the lovely "Bluegrass Saturday Night" which is an anthem to Rhonda's hectic life. The song gives the listener a taste of her rigorous touring schedule of performing and recording. This album is highly recommended by Country Stars Central. Get one for yourself and your friends and family!! Rhonda better watch out... The IBMA may be knocking on her door next year with a handful of nominations for "Good Thing Going." She has definitely outdone herself on this record and it is sure to please!!



This album was produced in Rhonda's own recording studio, "Adventure Studios" in Nashville, TN. It was co-produced by Rhonda's brother Darrin Vincent and Rhonda.





"Good Thing Going" Track Listing;





1. I'm Leavin'



2. World's Biggest Fool



3. I Give All My Love To You (Featuring Russell Moore)



4. Good Thing Going



5. Scorn Of A Lover



6. Hit Parade Of Love



7. I Will See You Again



8. Just One Of A Kind



9. I Gotta Start Somewhere



10. Who's Cryin' Baby



11. The Water Is Wide (Featuring Keith Urban)



12. Bluegrass Saturday Night







"Good Thing Going" commands five Country Stars Central guitars!!

While Alison Krauss has compromised, if not abandoned, her bluegrass roots in pursuit of her musical ambitions, Rhonda Vincent long ago gave up any thoughts of diversifying into other musical genres (although she did experiment with a more mainstream country sound in the mid-nineties) and now sticks firmly to bluegrass music. So there are no surprises on this generally upbeat album, for which Rhonda provides brief comments about each song, three of which she wrote alone while she co-wrote two others..

Rhonda wrote the opening track (I'm leavin') as a result of trying to write a song along the lines of Mule skinner blues. It doesn't sound much like that Jimmie Rodgers classic (which her friend Dolly Parton covered in 1970) but it is an up-tempo song that gets the album off to a great start. Another excellent song, World's biggest fool, comes next, though whatever else Rhonda may be, she's definitely not a fool, let alone the world's biggest. I can think of several candidates for such a title but this is not the place to nominate them.

The next track is a duet with Russell Moore (of IIIrd Tyme Out) on a song (I give all my love to you) that Rhonda co-wrote for a friend's wedding because that friend, who also works for Rhonda, couldn`t find a song from those already available. Let's hope that the marriage lives up to the song. The title track is apparently true to life, except that Rhonda added in a tiny piece of fiction, but Rhonda declined to tell us in the liner notes which lyrics are fictional. The next track (Scorn of a love) is actually an upbeat song despite its title.

A more obviously upbeat song follows in the form of Rhonda's cover of a bluegrass standard (Hit parade of love) originally co-written and recorded by Jimmy Martin. The pace slows for the next track, which is a ballad (I will see you again). An upbeat Dottie Rambo song (Just one of a kind) comes next, although Rhonda apparently first came across it via Jim and Jesse's version. A wonderful ballad (I gotta start somewhere) and another excellent up-tempo song (Who's cryin' baby) maintain the high quality of the album. The second and last duet here features Keith Urban, on The water is wide, a traditional Irish song that works well in a bluegrass setting.

The album closes with the rousing Bluegrass Saturday night, which Rhonda says was inspired by hearing a song titled Louisiana Saturday night (a song written by Bob McDill that Don Williams and Mel McDaniel both recorded, though Rhonda doesn`t say whose version she heard and maybe doesn`t remember). After hearing the song, Rhonda wrote her own completely different song with a modified title. A bluegrass Saturday night certainly sounds like an exciting prospect, but I'm in the wrong part of the world to enjoy such an event. I can have my very own bluegrass Saturday night if I wish, thanks to the music of Rhonda and others, though I don't think it's quite what the song is about.

Rhonda has recorded many excellent bluegrass albums and I own most of them, but I eventually hope to catch up on those that I don't. Even as I write this review, another album is about to be released. The consistently high quality of Rhonda's albums makes it hard to pick out favorites, but this bright and breezy album is surely among the best.

Once I heard Rhonda Vincent I could not get enough of her music. The sounds and vocals are truly a delight. I would recommend this CD for any country, gospel, and Bluegrass fan!

Rhonda Vincent is the Queen of Bluegrass and with albums like this you can easily see why!!
Good Thing Going is one of her more uplifting cds so far.From the uptempo title track Good Thing Going ,Bluegrass Saturday Night,the great kiss-off song Who's Cryin' Baby (great lyrics to this)to the sweet ballad I Give All My Love To You which features Russell Moore.
Although she has some heartbreakers too, like the simply stunning ballad I Gotta Start Somewhere(amazing)to Scorn Of A Lover,Just One Of A Kind and the cracking Hit Parade Of Love.
She brings the album to a close with a beautiful version of the Irish classic The Water Is Wide which Keith Urban provides harmonies on-lovely song.
Absolutely one of her finest albums to date,you simply can't go wrong with this collection of beautiful Bluegrass/Country songs...

This CD was a gift to my Father who is a bluegrass musician himself. It arrived in perfect condition & on time.He loves the CD.
Thank you,
O.W. Reno

They say that you can't please all of the people all of the time... but don't tell that to Rhonda Vincent and her band! They do a pretty good job here, mixing hard-driving bluegrass with contemporary folk-pop, serious songs with goofy tunes and lots of sweet, twangy vocals. In general, she's taking the same approach as Alison Krauss, appealing to pop fans as well as bluegrass traditionalists, but Vincent keeps more of the twang and aggressive drive of the genre in her work, and may offer more to fans who want to hear the drag-race element of the style. All in all, another strong album from a gal who has become one of the preeminent figures in modern bluegrass. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Guide To Hick Music)