Customer Reviews

No Fences

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

1. The Thunder Rolls
2. New Way To Fly
3. Two Of A Kind Workin' On A Full House
4. Victim Of The Game
5. Friends in Low Places
6. Wild Horses
7. Unanswered Prayers
8. Same Old Story
9. Mr. Blue
10. Wolves

Garth Brooks became a music superstar with the release of his second CD, "No Fences," in 1990. He released four singles from the CD in 1990-1991, and all of them hit #1. The first single was "Friends in Low Places," which was #1 for 4 weeks on the country chart, making it Garth's biggest song ever. Country Music Television (CMT) recently named it one of the Top 10 country songs of all time. It's a rollicking good time and undeniably great music; the kind of song you'll hear in bars and honky-tonks now and for decades to come.

"Unanswered Prayers" was the second single - a sweet ballad about life working out as it should, even when you don't get what you wanted at the time. It was #1 for 2 weeks, and was named by CMT as one of the Top 10 love songs of all time. "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House" is somewhat retro-sounding with extremely clever lyrics (#1 for 1 week). The CD actually starts with the fourth single, the rock-tinged "The Thunder Rolls." Although the song's video tells the story of an abusive husband, the song lyrics actually are about a woman waiting for her potentially unfaithful husband to arrive home late at night. The song was a bit risky at the time, as it represented a more rock-influenced direction for Garth. Indeed, the CD overall is less traditionally country-sounding than his debut.

More than a decade later, a fifth song hit the Top 10 when "Wild Horses" peaked at #7 in early 2001. The song is about a rodeo rider who has to travel and be away from his family, and it's one of the highlights of the CD. The remaining songs are all fairly solid, including another Garth interpretation of a Tony Arata-penned song - "Same Old Story" (Tony wrote "The Dance" from Garth's first CD).

The CD was an immediate hit - selling old over 5 million copies within a year of its initial release; it's gone on to become the best-selling country record by a male artist ever, with 16 million copies sold (only Shania Twain's second CD has sold more copies). Although the CD is arguably not Garth's best (I'd nominate his debut), it does contain some of his best singles, and it's certainly understandable why it was such a huge hit. Clearly, Garth was perfecting his style of pop-country; a style that would enable him to go on to sell over 100 million records and become the fourth biggest-selling artist ever.

This is Garth's best album. There is not a bad song on this album, and there are many underrated songs that never got radio play. "New Way To Fly," "Wild Horses," "Wolves," and "Victim Of The Game" are some of the best songs in Garth's collection. Throw in "Friends In Low Places," "Same Old Story," "The Thunder Rolls," "Two Of A Kind Workin' On A Full House," and "Unanswered Prayers" and you have one of the classic country albums of all time. I even liked the cheesy "Mr. Blue." This is a must have for any country fan.

I started listening to country music ten years ago, once the lyrics that made pop accessible melted away into thumping beats and indecipherable mumbles. Garth Brooks' "No Fences", as inspired by Billy Joel and James Taylor, literally SPOKE to me as I turned 30 in 1991. Back then, and still as I near 40, he wrote songs that were passionate, understated, and sincere, like the Piano Man and Sweet Baby James in their heydays. On "No Fences" he pours his heart and soul into every note of every song, from the unforgettable "Unanswered Prayers" to his own now-signature tale, "Friends In Low Places." He is all of these characters and none of them still, just a storyteller by the fire, but possessed by his protagonists. Few artists have succeeded in blending seamlessly the melody of pop and the resonance and grit of country - but Brooks pulls it off. "No Fences" is the first of a succession of brilliant American fare that made Brooks the unparalleled success of the 90s. It's easy to see why "No Fences" launched Garth's career into the stratosphere, up there with the Beatles and Elton John. He crafts universal themes with every one of his instruments as a songwriter, vocalist and musician.

At once epic ("The Thunder Rolls") and soft ("New Way to Fly") "No Fences" will stand the test of time and emerge as the 1990's version of "Tapestry" or "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." Fun, clever, and emotionally charged all at the same time, Brooks delivers a heartfelt, magical set.

Rarely have I seen critics trash an entertainer in the manner that they attacked Garth Brooks. Are there better country acts out there? Of course there are. Are there better pop acts out there? Same answer, yet again, but it seems like critics seemed especially harsh on Brooks because of how successful he was in ushering the era of country-pop to the masses. Many saw him as the devil incarnate using with marketing skills by using the purity of more traditional acts, such as Merle Haggard, George Straight, and Jack Anderson just to name a few, and somehow prostituting it to the masses. I think that the perception is unjust as Garth's music is influenced as much as any other artist as they don't work in a vacuum.

In my opinion Garth's music could be compared to more critically acclaimed country/pop/rock acts, such as The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Kenny Loggins, and Dan Fobelberg. Although two of my favorite songs (If Tomorrow Never Comes and The Dance) come from his self-titled debut CD, "No Fences" (his second release) was his most cohesive and the one to hit pay dirt with gems like sweeping The Thunder Rolls, the honky tonk Friends In Low Places, and Unanswered Prayers, which always gets a rise out of me.

While some may just think that he is a lightweight with an ear for what will succeed, other reviews start getting into irrelevant issues like his culpability in the Trish Yearwood divorce so I wanted to put in my two cents as I really like this CD. While not a masterpiece or an innovator, Garth Brooks, especially in this release, put together a set of songs that represent pure entertainment and it certainly does not make me feel bad the morning after. Garth was not a novelty act like say The Spice Girls, and the fact that I am enjoying this release as much as I ever have convinces me that this music is good period. Sometimes you may want to listen to Patsy Cline. Johnny Cash, Hank Williams (Sr. and Jr.) and it's just as acceptable to want your share of Garth Brooks. Popular appeal does not necessarily mean that something is bad. And for the "reviewers" who leave one line hate (and even love) notes, that don't bother to get into why they disliked (or liked) a product, it is a disservice to the vast majority of AWESOME people who take the time to try to put words down that will help the rest of us make better entertainment buying choices. Thanks to all the great people who have helped me discover acts like The Mavericks and Los Lonely Boys, just to name a couple, that I would have never had the pleasure to listen to without your valued input.

I've listened to practically every one of Garth Brooks' albums, and I think No Fences is his best album. "Friends In Low Places", the first of four #1 hits off this album, is Garth's classic up-tempo barroom anthem, with Garth being joined by a lot of his "friends" on the last chorus to the song. Another fun, upbeat song which became a big hit for Garth is the honky-tonker "Two Of A Kind, Workin' On A Full House". Garth remade the Fifties pop hit "Mr. Blue" for this record, and Garth's version is quite a bit more upbeat than the original. The ballads, though, are the highlights here. The autobiographical song "Unanswered Prayers", the reflective song "Wolves", the bluesy, melodic tune "Same Old Story", the rodeo song "Wild Horses", and the intense ballads "New Way To Fly" and "Victim Of The Game" are all strong songs. The song that really gets the record going, though, is the grim tale "The Thunder Rolls", with the distorted lead guitar and the thunderclaps in the background. "The Thunder Rolls" is one of Garth's best songs, even though it was highly controversial when it first came out because of its portrayal of adultery and domestic violence. In fact, two well-known cable channels, The Nashville Network and Country Music Television, refused to air the video to "The Thunder Rolls" because of its violent content. However, "The Thunder Rolls" is the high point on an impressive album. In my opinion, Garth has yet to release a record that tops No Fences, even though he has continued to make good music.

Garth Brooks has been very fortunate in terms of being blessed with a wonderful talent as a musician. He has also been very lucky in that his talent has received recognition and made him successful in the music business, indeed, over the past 15 years he has sold more albums in the United States than any other artist.
Out of his 12 albums, all of which I like very much, I would say this is one of his best.

I became a Brooks fan at the age of 12 after seeing his "This is Garth Brooks" tour video/show on BBC television here in the U. K and remember my Mother buying this on cassette in about 1992, 1993. Pretty soon that cassette was mine! I had always liked Country music, but really got into it after hearing this album and it's follow-ups from Brooks (namely "The Chase" and "Ropin' The Wind").

My favourite songs on "No Fences" are "Friends in low places", "The Thunder Rolls" and "A New Way to fly", which give a good mixture of pop and country. "Unanswered Prayers" (a love song about happiness not being about getting what you want, but wanting what you've got) is just one of those all-time classic songs that any artist would be blessed to find one song like this in their whole career, Brooks himself has been blessed with many songs like this during his recording career.

I would recommend this album to anyone who loves good music. Garth is one of the best at making great songs, be they country or otherwise. This is one of his early albums, but still ranks up their in terms of legendary status. These 10 songs (11 on the re-issue) haven't dated at all, despite them being recorded almost a decade and a half ago!

This Is His Best Selling Album To Date. This Album Sold Over 10,000 Million Copies Around The Wrold. Because Of It, "Friends In Low Places" Is One Of His Best Songs On This Album, Along With Trisha Yearwood Singing Background Vocals. The Best Dance Song On This Album Is "Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House". Plus He Tells God About His "Unanswered Prayers". "The Thunder Rolls" Won A Video Of The Year Award In 1991.

As with his first album, this sophomore effort on the part of Garth Brooks is perfectly named. "No Fences" very directly expresses Garths intention to go beyond the boundaries that other artist in country music set. This album gave us the first glimpse into Garth's true rock-and-roll roots. Though still more conventional than his later albums, Garth shifted from the twangy highs and lows of "Garth Brooks" and focused on a more polished style, filled with an eclectic and diverse range of sounds.

The first song from the album "The Thunder Rolls" perfectly demonstrates this transition. It tells of a cheating husband, driving home in the middle of an intense thunderstorm from his adultress to a wife that waits anxiously by the telephone, hoping that nothing has happened, and at the same time suspecting that she knows what has been happening all along.
The song was controversal for its time, and too controversal in its original form. The song contains a third verse (not on the album) that was considered so violent by record execs at Capitol, it was cut from the recording. Garth introduced the verse to audiences while touring, and it met with resounding success, but was never recorded until the "Double Live" album.

Garth's departure from traditional country stylings would become more appearant in future albums, but this album still contained some songs that would be considered standards in the industry. "Wild Horses", a song about a rodeo-riders conflict between settling down and being "dragged" away to the rodeo, is pure country, more in keeping with the stylings of George Strait (a singer Garth has admitted to emulating throughout his career).

The biggest hits of this album, in stark contrast to "Garth Brooks" were a trifecta of pieces that were stylistically, very oppossed to one another, and suprisingly, equally riveting in their own way.

"Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House" became a staple piece for Garth, using a catchy "hook" analagous with poker to describe the relationship of two lovers-husband and wife-and their intentions of having a family. The catchy melody and clever lyrics gave the song a clever spin that audiences loved.

"Unanswered Prayers", more in keeping with songs like "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "The Dance" was a ballad that almost anyone could relate to. The song suggests that sometimes things happen according to God's plan, not our own desires. Almost religious in its message, the song was a stark contrast to the irreverant "Friends In Low Places", the biggest hit off this album, and, next to "The Dance", probably Garth's biggest hit ever.

"Low Places" is a straight-out honkey tonk, neon-lights, good-times-with-good-friends bar song. Where "The Dance" is profound, "Friends In Low Places" is fun, and audiences around the globe love it. This song was so successful that it climbed the charts of not only country radio, but Billboard's top 100, and peaked out as a number 1 on radio in all markets!

This album would be the last ignitor to launch Garth's career from mere artist to true country superstar. It would put his name in every household and introduce him to a world of music fans who had, before this point, shunned country music.

Though some critics consider this an inferior album to "Garth Brooks", it is nonetheless a strong effort and a great collection of songs.

For a while, this was the best selling country CD of all time. It's got a few of the songs that made him big - "Friends In Low Places", "The Thunder Rolls", and "Unanswered Prayers". But there are also some obscure songs that I thought were just as good or better - like "Wolves", "Mr. Blue", "Victim of the Game", and "Same Old Story". On the new version (with 11 songs on it), there's a beautiful ballad called "This Ain't Tennessee" that wasn't on the original. This was probably the CD that really made it for him. And it's still a good one.