Customer Reviews

Live Close By, Visit Often

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you're a fan of songs written and sung w/ pure heart and emotion, this CD is for you. I've been a fan of KT's since she hit the country music scene in the late 80's. The songs on this album are first rate and she sounds self-assured and ready to hit the top of the charts again. But, unfortunately, radio will not give her the time of day. And that's a shame. The lack of radio airplay for this record shows the deeper problem w/ country radio. They've abandoned the TRUE STARS & performers for "personas". I miss the days of Don Williams, Sylvia, Lacy J Dalton, Louise Mandrell, Earl Thomas Conley, John Conlee, KT Oslin and many, many others. Sure, these performers have gotten older, but so have we! KT's at the top of her game. Buy this CD and fall in love w/ KT all over again. I did!!

This new CD is just amazing! This is K.T. in top form, and her wonderful personality shines through on every track - sass and heart.

Every song on this album is an outright masterpiece.

She makes you want to get up and dance with "Live Close By", "Mexico Road" and "Somebody's Leaving Somebody".

She rips your heart out and stomps on it with "Maybe We Should Learn To Tango", "A Moment Of Forever" and "Drivin', Cryin', Missin' You".

"Neva Sawyer" is PURE K.T. . . a story told in song. . . a circus highwire performer who likes to raise a ruckus in local bars. . . just fantastic! Full of sass and fun, an instant classic.

The standards medley is stunning! I've never cared for "Mean To Me", because it's such a maudlin "I'm such a victim" song. . . K.T. breathes life into it for the first time. Yes, it's still a victim song, but you get the feeling she ain't gonna put up with it for much longer!

"Come On-a My House". . . . K.T.'s first dance track! When she sings, "I'm gonna give you candy". . . you get a feeling it's not the same candy that Rosemary Clooney sang about in her version. . . LOL

EVEN if you're not a country fan, you need to buy this album. It's fits neatly on your pop shelf, as well. WELCOME BACK, K.T. You've been sorely missed.

This wonderful CD is a prime example of what's wrong with our music industry: they continue to cater to the young audiences, and it's already been reported that radio stations "won't touch" this CD. What a shame! 60-year old K.T. Oslin has never sounded better, and this collection of originals, covers, and standards, is impeccably sung and produced.

...P>The ballads---"I Can't Remember Not Loving You," Kris Kristofferson's "A Moment of Forever" and especially the heart-wrenching "Drivin, Cryin', Missin You" are prime examples of Ms. Oslin's remarkable ability to convey the lyrics and mood of a song.

The up-tempo tracks, including the title song, "Somebody's Leavin Somebody," and "Mexico Road" continue K.T.'s string of enjoyable, uplifting tunes. The addition of "Neva Sawyer" is extraordinary. It's like a mini soap opera, tongue in cheek, and delivered with thespian expertise.

Raul Malo's production compliments K.T.'s vocals, and all in all, this CD is one of the best of the year.

K.T., welcome back, and don't stay away so long----visit us often!!

I don't know where to begin with this 12 song cd from the aging sex bomb come DIVA herself, K.T. Oslin. I was reluctant to buy this cd. I thought how fresh can she be after 5 years. Well, let me tell you, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that is what it did for K.T. and her love for recording. The punchy, clever title song opens this cd with energy and sass. It rolls right into a sweet number of recalling true love and then a blues driven masterpiece, 'Somebody's Leavin' Somebody'. This song is infectious with groove-blues I could not resist a funky sing-along, you know the kind where your rockin' your kneck in traffic. And, wow, you cool down to a cryin' crawl with 'Drivin', Cryin', Missin' You'. If you have ever loved someone and let them go, you will hold on for one more brief moment with this tune playing. The sweetness and fun is so real here, I feel embraced by the music and the artist. A beautiful Kris Kristofferson song, 'A Moment Of Forever', will put your troubled soul at ease. Now get ready for a trip down the fun and delicious 'Mexico Road'. And, if you are not in love with this album yet then 'Maybe We Should Learn The Tango' a song that will make you think about love. And if you have got a heart for the best music can offer regardless of the genre you will just bust a gut on the final song, 'Come On-A My House'. This old Rosemary Clooney song is ripe and ready for every club from L.A. to Nashville to New York, China, Sydney Australia and beyond. If there is life on Mars they will be dancing to the club ready house mixed tickle-n-fun of this song. So 'Come On-A My House' and don't look back. And remember what you are buying is art from an artist not a particular genre of music. Be ready for it all because she has it. I LOVE THIS ALBUM K.T. OSLIN, THANKS!

K.T. Oslin carries on the legacy of Dusty Springfield at her most lanquid and sensual and soulful. Like Dusty, K.T. has the inate ability to make every lyric heartbreakingly real and emotionally honest. And K.T. writes most of her own material! (the originals on this album are all fantastic, but the best of the best "Drivin Cryin Missing You" is about as perfect a song as she has ever sung.) Great songwriting and production, and stunning vocals make this easily one of the best CDs of the year. The album close with 4 cover tunes -- at first they seem an afterthought, however well performed - but after several listens, they all become interwoven with the originals that proceed it making a great statement of personality and character and love and life. K.T. Oslin sings as if she has lived and known every lyric inside out. As natural as breathing, and the freshest thing out there right now.

K.T. Oslin strongly announces her return to the music world with this outstanding CD flawlessly produced by Raol Malo of The Mavericks. K.T. effortlessly delivers convincing vocals in every track, whether the song is uptempo and fun, or filled with the sadness of a love gone stale. Favorite cuts for me are the title track, Mexico Road, I Can't Remember Not Loving You, plus Drivin', Cryin', Missin' You. The listener gets a pleasant surprise with the stripped-down version of If You Were The Only Boy In The World which flows right into the laidback swing of Mean To Me. K.T. sings Cole Porter and it's a match made in heaven! And with her sultry technopop rendition of Come On A My House, K.T. promises much more than candy! I can't say enough good things about this CD! Add it to your collection!

We last heard from Miss Oslin back in 1996 with the release of My Roots Are Showing. A nice album of standards, with a twist from K.T. And then she disappeared. Fans of Miss Oslin have just had to sit back and listen to her previous works, from the debut of 80's Ladies, the follow-up, This Woman, the underappreciated Love In A Small Town, and then listen to aall of them again on the Greatest Hits.

But 2001 brings Live Close By, Visit Often. What a concept? I mean would you actually hear Shania sing that song? I don't think so! K.T. wraps her silky and sultry vocals around a song geared to make you sit back, relax, and finally agree with a song.

The CD pretty much takes you on a cathardic journey about love and leaving. Somebody's Leavin Somebody is great song about just that...you dont have to guess what it is about.

Neva Sawyer, almost a follow-up to Hold Me. K.T. gets loose in this one and tells it like it is, you go girl!

The song that will take everyone by surprise is the remake of Rosemary Clooney's Come On-A My House. This techno/dance/rap song closes the album and shows that hey, a 60 year old woman is not afraid of changing her direction. Look what it did for Tammy Wynette when she dueted with The KLF.

This album should bring Oslin's music to a who new genre of fans. Unfortunately her biggest obstacle will be R&R. Who plays already established artists like Oslin, Tanya Tucker, Wynonna, Kelly Willis these days. All of the new artists are flashes in a pan, the K.T.'s of this world will be around for the long haul!

We may not live close by, but we'll definitely visit often!

What a pleasure to listen to this CD. K.T. Oslin is an amazing singer, performer. I too think she is a Diva! Neva Sawyer Rocks! Thoroughly enjoyable. I can just picture her on a stage singing and acting this one out! B**ch Fight! B**itch Fight!! Come On-A My House is really a Cool rendition, very Hip! Any Gay man in the World (in particular) would love these 2 songs! For these 2 songs alone its worth buying! Love ya K.T.! You Go girl. K.T. you're Bad! An Excellent CD!!

Prime Cuts: Maybe We Should Learn to Tango, Live Close By, Visit Often, I Can't Remember Not Loving You

Though in her 50s, thanks to genius of lighting, Oslin looks like Shania's rival. Indeed, she is musically. "Live Close By," Oslin's "comeback" CD, finds her at her creative best. Every song has an identity of its own. The CD opens with an upbeat latino influenced title track. Here Oslin sings about the life of a single woman weathered by the trials and tribulations of romance. Backed with the occassional horns and an infectious melody, it's just a breathe of reality as she sings about independence and the unreliability of romance.

Another gem from this album is "Maybe We Should Learn to Tango." In terms of emotive uctions, this song ranks high up there with another Oslin classic "Hold Me." "Tango" recounts the tale of a desperate wife trying to salvage her marriage by giving it another goal through tangoing together. Sung with so much emotion, you could hear the pain ringing through Oslin's voice. "Drivin' and Cryin'," another heart wrenching ballad, comes close to being another favorite. "Drivin'" reminds me alot of Oslin's hit "New Way Home."

Despite being scarred by romance, not all hope is evaporated. Oslin does celebrate the power of love in "A Moment of Forever," a tender a tender ode to forever love. This song could easily be used as a wedding classic.

Moving away from romance is "Neva Sawyer"--a vivid story song about a barroom brawl. Oslin paints such a picturesque scene that you can't help but listen. Though the song runs above 6 minutes, you can't help but want to hear more episodes of Neva Sawyer. On the other hand, "Mexico Road," with its latino inflenced beat, is an upbeat decalaration of indepence.

Raul Malo, Oslin's co-producer, has never allowed himself to be pigeonholed. His own solo records and those with country group the Mavericks are testaments. With Malo on the helm, Oslin veers into unconventional territory as she gives us three short (almost medley like) standards. Her rendition of "Mean to Me" showcases Oslin's wit and sassiness that she brings to this pop standard. My only complain is that Oslin should sing all the verses of these standards, rather than singing excerpts of them all running just within a couple of minutes.

Though there are some very strong country songs ("I Don't Remember Not Loving You," "Tango,"), there's a surprise at the end. Oslin closes the CD with a dance version of Rosemary Clooney's "House." Ironically, the song became the biggest hit from this CD. While country radio shun Oslin from their playlist, dance clubs embraced "House" and has placed Oslin on the rungs of Billboard dance charts. Oslin on the dance chart, that's almost unheard of. But that's what this diva is capable of and lots more.

This CD has been one of my most played CDs. Every song is different and they are always interesting. With songs like this and talent so enoromous, I would echo Oslin's title track, please "live close by and visit often."

Not even a week after this cd was commercially released, Oslin stated that this would "more than likely" be her last album. With that said, she apparently chose to go out with bang. Was Nashville ready for this album? To answer that, I'll have to ask another question...Was Nashville EVER ready for K.T. Oslin and her music? The answer is simply, no. No one in Nashville was prepared to let a classy, intelligent, independent woman come in and take over-which is exactly what Oslin did in 1988 when she released the now classic "80's Ladies" album that spawned several number one hits and garnered Oslin a couple of Grammys to say the least. No one in Nashville knew then or even now how to compete with true artistry and a no-nonsense attitude for the business side of show business. Oslin does it her way or no way at all, and has made this very clear in her songwriting, producing, vocals, and personality that is put forth in each track of every album she's released. Charming, witty, and comedic, Oslin has "done it again" with "Live Close By, Visit Often". Culminating originals with a trio ensemble of pop standards, Oslin has once again proved her talent status to the rest of Nashville that keeps pushing cookie cutter material out to the bored mass of radio listeners. Radio ignored "Live Close By" because it was different, as is all of Oslin's music. In example, what other female country artist would have the guts or the brass to record a techno cover of Rosemary Clooney's 1951 hit "Come On-A My House", throwing in a "X-Files"-like spy guitar with India-influenced rhythm? No female country act could hold Oslin a light to go by when it comes to her musical standard and her display of stage presence and enough moxy to scare off even some members of the mafia-all of this of course is wrapped up in a sensual,funny,charming, and lovable American personality that choses to shine her own way...part Katherine Hephburn part Kim Catrall, Oslin knows now, just as she did when "80's Ladies" rocketed her to living legend, that she's got what it takes to keep it rockin'. With all that said, if you don't buy this album, it's your loss-you will simply be missing out on one of the few great singers that still has true feelings towards the word "artist". Oslin may stand on her own terms, but as far as status-she's there with the living greats...Midler, Streisand, Franklin, Parton....do I have to keep going?