Customer Reviews

Letters From Home

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Michael Montgomery has asserted himself as a radio mainstay in the nineties. Though he got little airplay since then--"The Little Girl" is the only hit I can think of--this album promises to deliver him back into the spotlight. He has left behind the twang of his previous efforts, and has chosen a good selection of substantial, well-written and BELIEVEABLE material.

LETTERS begins with "Good Ground," an uptempo number about family and love that continues on most of the other songs. The title track is a gut-wrenching number (admit it, you had a tear in your eye when you first heard it) that indeed stands out, but is not the only good tune on here. "Look At Me Now" is a confessional number about growing older, while "Cool" deals with the consequences faced in life.

"That's What I'm Talkin About" is a romp that manages to skewer gossipers AND contain suggestive lyrics (a similar vein is followed on "Little Devil"). "Goes Good With Beer" is destined to become a honky-tonk classic, while "Break This Chain" is pretty much it's opposite--the story of a man from a long line of alcoholics praying for the strenght to defeat his curse. "That Changes Everything" shows us the surprise directions life can take, while "It Rocked" lets us know that life's greatest moments and sensations come from the simple things.

LETTERS FROM HOME is easily John Michael Montgomery's best album. While Montgomery has situated himself as frontman for radio-friendly music (ironically, big-brother Eddie is doing the same thing for outlaw country), he shows us that he does indeed know what a good country song is about...His voice is neither world-class nor run-of-the-mill, but he uses it for all it's worth, and it's worth a pretty penny. LETTERS FROM HOME will make you cry, make you laugh, make you sing, and even--if you're really in the mood--make you dance. A great album by one of today's best performers.

Thematically, Letters From Home is similar to Tracy Lawrence's Strong. Both focus on the importance of family, home, and life as it is lived on the human scale over against the larger concerns of the outside world. Neither one claims that the affairs of the world "don't amount up to a hill of beans compared to you and me, baby"; but they do remind in this post-911 world that family and home are what it's all about.

Unlike Lawrence, Montgomery is more treasured as "the voice". Vocally, he is more a baritone than a tenor and is more soothing to the ears-a little more "western" and "cowboy" sometimes. Montgomery also is more known for some plainly sentimental songs in the past such as "I Love the Way You Love Me" and "I Can Love You Like That". He has a special attraction, many woman claim, because he can sing tenderly and tug at the heartstrings. This can backfire on any artist because if he does this too often he will soon not be taken seriously. And Montgomery has teetered close to the edge several times in his career.

Lawrence's Strong dealt with the refuge of family and home and the dangers that could take it all away. Montgomery chooses to focus more on the human ties that make up this sanctuary.

The CD begins with a particularly "southern" interest in "Good Ground". The song runs at a fair clip in country rock fashion. One can wonder at the value of a bunch of dirt beyond what it can do for crops but the singer isn't talking about agriculture. It is about a sense of "place" and how home nurtures life and is the scene where children and families gather the wealth of experience and affection to live life.

"Letters From Home" (the first single) is a moderately "walking" tune about the things family members say to soldier children who are in dangerous places far away. Sometimes it is when we are afraid we will lose them we finally say what it is we want them to know. It is simple and suggestive-imagine it is a popular but difficult song to hear if you are a soldier or Marine in Afghanistan or Iraq.

"That's What I'm Talking About" celebrates to joys of a man and a woman. "Look At Me Now" is an object lesson about "I did everything right but I got it all wrong". The song is open to interpretation; but "you see, all that I've done doesn't matter at all/ it's what I leave here when I'm gone" suggests that the family the singer did not have on the path to success was the "pearl of great price" he foolishly did not grasp.

"Goes Good With Beer" is a little bit of comic relief and every bit the good-timey country tune it sounds like. A song that champions the pleasure of life in a world of trouble, it surely will be an upcoming popular hit.

"Cool" runs over the same theme as Kenny Chesney's "There Goes My Life" from the viewpoint of a son who doesn't understand why his dad isn't more "with it". Some may complain that it is just an "anti-abortion" song. It is every bit of that; but it is more about a man who holds to honor and obligation rather than the fashion of the day.

"It Rocked" is the closest Montgomery gets to an outright rock song. Again, it harks back to the country/rock sound of the 1970's; but it swings. Like "That Changes Everything" that follows it, it is about the personal anchors in life that keep us grounded and make life meaningful.

"Break This Chain" is about getting away from what gets between us and the ones we love. "Little Devil" seems a little out of place except as a light and fun end to some serious stuff. After all, the mild mannered girl the singer wants to skinny dip with in the Jacuzzi could be just a one-night stand for all we know. No one says it's his wife or girlfriend. And the sly little "this can be our little secret/we don't have to tell no one" is undoubtedly suggestive. But this is country music! We can't all be so solemn and dead serious all the time. Besides, some of the best families come out of an indecent skinny dip.

Home. Hearth. Family. Sex. These are things that make a great nation. In this case, they also make a great CD.

I admit that I bought this album for the title track alone. After all, had that been the only good track on this CD I still would have felt that it was worth my money.

But the title track is just the beginning for this fine country offering by John Michael Montgomery. I found myself listening to and enjoying every track on LETTERS FROM HOME. Montgomery's smoother-than-silk voice is one of the finest in country music today and his straight-forward approach to his music comes through in every note. You won't want to miss this one.

THE HORSEMAN

Prime Cuts: Cool, Letters from Home, That Changes Everything

Musically, the family resemblance between John Michael and brother Eddie of Montgomery Gentry fame runs thin. While Eddie Montgomery is a heel kicking honky tonk troubadour, John Michael is the personification of gentility. While Montgomery Gentry has blasted the speakers of country radio with defiant anthems like "She Couldn't Change Me" and "Hell Yeah," big brother Montgomery sings about roping the moon and covering his significant other with kisses.

Not surprisingly, nostalgia, sentimentality and introspection earmarked John Michael's latest album "Letters from Home." In fact, other than a few rollicking honky tonk numbers, most of "Letters from Home" deal with the affairs of the heart. Best of which is the excellent title cut as well as lead off single, "Letters from Home." Riding along some gentle guitar picking and plaintive sounding dobro, Montgomery sings about a G.I. savoring correspondence from his parents and loved ones while being far away from home. An engaging number that has done its share of currying favor with country radio, "Letters from Home" finds Montgomery back into the top 10 terrain after a 4 year hiatus. Less poignant, but equally sentimental is the amicable "Look at Me Now."

Ultra cool is Harley Allen and Brice Long's ballad "Cool"--- a cautionary tale of a father warning his rebellious teenager to take stock of his rowdy ways for what goes around comes around. Replete with some fine fiddling, Montgomery's performance on "Cool" is nothing less than stellar--sincere, reflective and entrancing. Though "Cool" first appeared on Montgomery's previous greatest hits collection, it's such a standout that I was glad it got revived. Paternal fidelity is also the theme of the album's opener "Good Ground." Though set at a faster tempo with some big booming drums, it's one of the most country efforts Montgomery has tackled in a while.

Billy Yates and Jim Collins' "Break This Chain" is another superb country offering. Almost delivered as a prayer, "Break This Chain" expresses the desperate plea of an alcoholic for deliverance for the sake of his family. To my ears, this is one of the most moving tear jerker I have had heard in a while. Nevertheless, not all is sad. The hopeless romantic can put their fainting heart to ease: "That Changes Everything," penned by David Lee and Tony Lane (who were also responsible for crafting the title cut) is a gentle yet beautiful ballad extolling love's power to "change everything."

However, not everything works here. Montgomery's sensitivity can work against him when the material is not right. I find Paul Overstreet and Marty Dodson's "It Rocked" excruciatingly sappy. "It Rocked" celebrates the milestones of life: first love, first car, first job.... Come on, I think this is a little too maudlin! I am already starting to get a tooth ache, it's just too sugary. I am sure Montgomery or/and producer Bryon Gallimore must have felt that way too. So, to boost Montgomery's machismo, we have the propulsive honky tonk number "Goes Good With Beer." With Montgomery's crisp free suit and his family man image portrayed in the other songs, I find it hard to believe when Montgomery sings about hanging with his crazy buddies and those "pretty girls" in a smoke filled tavern as he professes in "Goes Good With Beer." A tad more believable is the funky yet somehow raunchy "Little Devil"-though "Little Devil" sounds like a recycle of Montgomery's number 1 hit, "Be My Baby Tonight."

Aside from these few detours, "Letters from Home," as the title suggests, appeals to the heart. With country radio's incessant appetite for heart tugging tunes, "Letters from Home" could easily be one of Montgomery's most radio friendly albums. In fact, I believe this album is hued with chart hits. This is a much welcomed return to form for Montgomery.

Great album. very good "story" songs. obviously, the title track is the stand out, but there are a few others that are worthy of praise too. "good ground" is an up tempo number that should be a hit. "look at me now" is a ballad that will likely be a favorite of everybody. "goes good with beer" is the type of song that will be a well known sing along if it gets released to radio. "that changes everything" is another mid tempo tune that is very enjoyable. i didn't find any filler songs on the entire cd. it's a must buy for anybody.. not just jmm fans.

Prime Cuts: Cool, Letters from Home, That Changes Everything

Musically, the family resemblance between John Michael and brother Eddie of Montgomery Gentry fame runs thin. While Eddie Montgomery is a heel kicking honky tonk troubadour, John Michael is the personification of gentility. While Montgomery Gentry has blasted the speakers of country radio with defiant anthems like "She Couldn't Change Me" and "Hell Yeah," big brother Montgomery sings about roping the moon and covering his significant other with kisses.

Not surprisingly, nostalgia, sentimentality and introspection earmarked John Michael's latest album "Letters from Home." In fact, other than a few rollicking honky tonk numbers, most of "Letters from Home" deal with the affairs of the heart. Best of which is the excellent title cut as well as lead off single, "Letters from Home." Riding along some gentle guitar picking and plaintive sounding dobro, Montgomery sings about a G.I. savoring correspondence from his parents and loved ones while being far away from home. An engaging number that has done its share of currying favor with country radio, "Letters from Home" finds Montgomery back into the top 10 terrain after a 4 year hiatus. Less poignant, but equally sentimental is the amicable "Look at Me Now."

Ultra cool is Harley Allen and Brice Long's ballad "Cool"--- a cautionary tale of a father warning his rebellious teenager to take stock of his rowdy ways for what goes around comes around. Replete with some fine fiddling, Montgomery's performance on "Cool" is nothing less than stellar--sincere, reflective and entrancing. Though "Cool" first appeared on Montgomery's previous greatest hits collection, it's such a standout that I was glad it got revived. Paternal fidelity is also the theme of the album's opener "Good Ground." Though set at a faster tempo with some big booming drums, it's one of the most country efforts Montgomery has tackled in a while.

Billy Yates and Jim Collins' "Break This Chain" is another superb country offering. Almost delivered as a prayer, "Break This Chain" expresses the desperate plea of an alcoholic for deliverance for the sake of his family. To my ears, this is one of the most moving tear jerker I have had heard in a while. Nevertheless, not all is sad. The hopeless romantic can put their fainting heart to ease: "That Changes Everything," penned by David Lee and Tony Lane (who were also responsible for crafting the title cut) is a gentle yet beautiful ballad extolling love's power to "change everything."

However, not everything works here. Montgomery's sensitivity can work against him when the material is not right. I find Paul Overstreet and Marty Dodson's "It Rocked" excruciatingly sappy. "It Rocked" celebrates the milestones of life: first love, first car, first job.... Come on, I think this is a little too maudlin! I am already starting to get a tooth ache, it's just too sugary. I am sure Montgomery or/and producer Bryon Gallimore must have felt that way too. So, to boost Montgomery's machismo, we have the propulsive honky tonk number "Goes Good With Beer." With Montgomery's crisp free suit and his family man image portrayed in the other songs, I find it hard to believe when Montgomery sings about hanging with his crazy buddies and those "pretty girls" in a smoke filled tavern as he professes in "Goes Good With Beer." A tad more believable is the funky yet somehow raunchy "Little Devil"-though "Little Devil" sounds like a recycle of Montgomery's number 1 hit, "Be My Baby Tonight."

Aside from these few detours, "Letters from Home," as the title suggests, appeals to the heart. With country radio's incessant appetite for heart tugging tunes, "Letters from Home" could easily be one of Montgomery's most radio friendly albums. In fact, I believe this album is hued with chart hits. This is a much welcomed return to form for Montgomery.

Of the flood of post-September 11 patriotic tunes, few have reached the lyrical heights of Alan Jackson's "Where Were You," and in general most songs in the ouvre have been clumsy and ham-fisted, stuff like Toby Keith's oafish and embarrassingly bad "Courtesy Of The Red, White & Blue" and "American Soldier" or Daryll Worley's catchy but poorly reasoned "Do You Remember," songs that seek to persuade or score points in the ongoing cultural turf war back on the homefront. In contrast, this album's title track, Tony Lane and David Lee's "Letters From Home," transcends the politics of the moment with an understated, emotionally resonant, well-crafted portrait of a soldier at war whose crushing daily regime is lightened by news from the folks back home. By not mentioning Saddam or Osama, the song retains a timelessness, speaking to the hardships and determination of soldiers in general, not just those send abroad in the Bush years, and its rise to the top of the charts is quite justly deserved. Though not as powerful as the single, the rest of the album is also pretty good -- on the very next track, Montgomery mentions seeing the war on the evening news, but lapses into escapism and the comfort of baby's arms. On the whole, though, singing one great song with such emotional power ain't bad, and fans who buy this album just on the strength of that track alone will not be disappointed by the rest of the disc.

J.M. Montgomery's latest was not a very good effort on his part. The only song that I really liked was the title song. 'Letters From Home ' is the most poignant soldier song that I can ever relate to, I love it.

Even people who don't listen to country music should love "Letters from Home". That's a great song, the video as well. This album is real good work, one of the best from John Michael. I wish I could meet Big and Rich and put it under their nose.

JMM has never released a bad album. Many would say this is a comeback album but every couple of years he releases an album with great hits. For some reason, radio hasn't played some of his great songs from his latest albums. "Goes Good With Beer" and "Little Devil" would be great singles to spice up country radio. "Letters From Home" deserves to be single of the year and "Cool" is not far behind. The more I listen to the album, the more I love it.