Customer Reviews

Restless

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I find it sort of funny that some folks describe some of the music on this album as meaningless, empty crossover country that sounds like a lot of the tunes coming out of Nashville these days. I say this because I am no fan of modern country music, but I love Sara Evans and I can't imagine how anyone could say Sara went on autopilot for most of the second half of this album. Sara has one of the best country voices in the business, and she expresses all sorts of feelings and emotions in everything she sings. I do prefer her earlier albums to this one, but Restless is still one great country CD. There's a good deal of variety in the songs, making each track something fresh and new to be enjoyed.

As usual, she opens with one of the album's strongest tracks. Rockin' Horse is a great song full of inspiring references to making something magical from the scary things life throws at you. It also features Vince Gill providing harmony; while Gill is not one of my favorites, he adds much to this song. Sara follows up with Backseat of a Greyhound Bus; the song's story is a country cliché, the unwed mother escaping her gossiping small town and finding a wonderful new life, but Sara's heartfelt delivery makes this probably the most memorable song on the album. Next up is Restless, a song tinged with Celtic-sounding instrumentation; this song didn't appeal to me all that much at first, largely due to a somewhat odd tempo to the chorus, but I have warmed up to it quite a bit now. I never had any doubts about the next two songs. Niagara is a fantastic love song, the kind of ballad that makes Sara such a truly special singer. Perfect doesn't have the depth of a typical Sara song, but it is the kind of catchy, upbeat song that all but begs for radio play.

I think country artists are pretty much required to include at least one song on each album that deals with longing for someone you broke up with, and Need To Be Next To You ably fills that requirement here. Sara sings this song with great feeling. The only sign of musical autopilot I can detect on this album comes in the song To Be Happy. The lyrics just seem a little simplistic, although the great bridge and chorus do much to offset the weakness of the verses. Tonight is easily the best ballad on the album, and I love this song even more every time I hear it - Sara is truly in her musical element on this one. Things get a little weird with Otis Redding; it has a unique musical style, sort of R&B restrained by country - this one took a while to grow on me but I still look upon it an experiment that need not be repeated on future albums. I Feel It Comin' On puts us back in country territory in terms of sound and message - someone's about to get dumped. I Give In is a strong offering about love vis-à-vis security. Big Cry is a little different, evoking touches of soul and R&B; it's not a bad song, but it really doesn't seem to convey the emotions implied by its title. Finally, of course, there is Suds in the Bucket; this is pure country music and a whole lot of fun to listen to.

A lot of Sara Evans fan may - like me - prefer her earlier albums to this one, but Restless is still a great CD showcasing Sara's unmatched voice. She goes wandering a little bit from the old country tree a couple of times, but those efforts have more positives than negatives. Like any great artist, Sara has to stretch her wings and grow musically. I can't see how anyone who loves music, especially country music, can come away disappointed from this album.

This isn't Sara Evans' best effort (for that you need to go to her 2000 multi-platinum Born To Fly), but it's a solid album, with a lot of songs that are pleasant and listenable and a few that match the excellence of her previous release.

Song By Song:
1. Rocking Horse: Fun, upbeat song about making the best of bad situations, but nothing praticularly exciting. 3/5
2. Backseat of A Greyhound Bus: This is one of the high points of the album, a touching story of a young girl who escapes her confining small town and finds meaning in her life through the birth of her daughter. 5/5
3. Restless: It's an ok song, fine melody, decent lyrics, but it doesn't really do anything for me. 3/5
4. Niagra: A beautiful ballad, Sara really shows the range of her voice on this song, and the lyrics are very moving. 5/5
5. Perfect: A cute song about how love doesn't have to be "perfect" to be good, a nice happy upbeat message, but it's very similar to several other songs on the album. 4/5
6. Need To Be Next To You: Again, sounds kind of similar to other songs. It's decent, but doesn't stand out from the rest of the album. 3/5
7. To Be Happy: Yet another perky upbeat song with a positive message. One or two was ok, but there are too many on this album and they sound too much the same. 3/5
8. Tonight: This is one of the better songs on the album, musically it's slow and smooth, and the lyrics perfectly capture the feeling of desperation and finding comfort in another lonely soul. Her voice is also showcased beautifully. 5/5
9. Otis Redding: This song is another one of the more unique songs on the album. Slow and sensual, it's perfect for "dancin in the kitchen barefoot" 4/5
10. I Feel It Comin On: A fun breakup song, has more of a country sound than the others on the album. 4/5
11. I Give In: My favorite track on the whole album. The lyrics sound like Sara read my mind, though I think most women will relate to lines like "you turn more than the music on/but will you be there by my side at the dawn?". Sara's voice is great here as well, making it truly a standout track. 5/5
12. Big Cry: This is my least favorite song on the album, it sounds like a bad attempt at R&B. 2/5
13. Suds In The Bucket: Another bouncy, fun to listen to song, I believe it's the current single. Nothing to set it apart though. 3/5

I received Sara's Born to Fly album for Christmas a few years ago, and I fell in love with her voice and her songs. I picked up her "Restless" album, and I think she has outdone herself. I thought "Born to Fly" would be difficult to follow, but she manages to top it. My favorites are "Rockin' Horse" and "I Give In"; they showcase Sara's amazing vocals. I can't understand how Alanna Nash could call the album "uneven." Sara does not sound bored; she pours her soul into every song. "Need To Be Next To You" and "Niagara" are not my favorites, but I still enjoy listening to them. I also don't understand why people criticized her for "Big Cry"; to me, that song is a highlight. Sara also experiments with different sounds on "Restless" and "Otis Redding." I think the sounds are fresh and Sara's vocals are in tip-top shape. I loved "Suds in the Bucket," that was a great concluding song. On a different note, I was surprised to read that "To Be Happy" was written by two men; I just thought the lyrics (flowers grow/handing out valentines) sounded feminine.

I love this CD; it's Sara's best yet, and I can't wait for new music from her.

In 2000 Sara Evans burst onto the scene in a big way with her album Born To Fly. The album, which went triple platinum, blended Evans' traditional country vocals and instincts with mainstream country-pop and spawned hits such as the title track, "Saints and Angels" and "I Could Not Ask For More." Now Evans is back with her fourth album, tentatively titled Restless. This album is a continuation of where Born To Fly left off with a few exceptions. One of those is Evans' musical diversity. While Born To Fly was mostly mainstream, this album offers a selection of diverse tunes that cover the spectrums of traditional country, mainstream country, pop, rhythm and blues. On tunes such as the opening "Rockin' Horse" and the closing "Suds In The Bucket" Evans will surely please the neo-traditionalist country fans she won with her first two albums. On cuts such as "Niagara" and "I Need To Be Next To You" Evans showcases a larger than life pop style with gaudy arrangements and instrumentals. The title tune is reminiscent of Irish Celtic music, while "Big Cry" is reminiscent of rhythm and blues. The remainder of the songs on the album fall somewhere in between country and pop. Such is the case with the first single, "Backseat Of A Greyhound Bus," which tells the moving story of a single mother whose life changes when giving birth to her child on a trip away from home. The second single, one of the five co-written by Evans, "Perfect," is a catchy and upbeat love song which will surely do well on the country charts. Overall, this album is a diverse collection of musical styles that flow together with Sara's heavenly vocal qualities. Fans of Evans will surely be pleased with this album, no matter what album or song originally made you a fan.

Sara Evans is back with a new album, at last! Her first since 2000's BORN TO FLY, which solidified Sara's position as a leading country lady with its many hit singles. RESTLESS is a 13 track album, 5 of which Sara helped write. The first single is the sweeping "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus", a ballad about a young girl who is forced to leave a small town when she discovers she is pregnant, and gives birth to the child out of wedlock on a greyhound bus. It's a nice sentimental song that fared alright at country radio, ranking just in the top 20. The title track has a celtic feel to it. The album opens with the uptempo "Rockin' Horse", a unique song about a tree being hit with lightening and something beautiful coming out of something so frightening (as the lyrics suggest).

There's some great ballads here that are instant hits. If "Niagara" were not released, it would be the biggest injustice done to this album. The song is a sweeping ballad, the big ballad of the album. Another strong ballad is Sara's cover of Leigh Nash's "Need To Be Next To You", which I think she even betters the original. The song was penned by Diane Warren, who Sara had a hit with on her last album with her rendition of "I Could Not Ask For More". "I Give In" is another hit waiting to happen on country radio. There's some fun uptempo's like the optomistic "To Be Happy", and the song "Feel It Comin On" as well as the album closer, the hilarious "Suds in the Bucket".

Sara pushes the envelope musically and spreads her wings on "Otis Redding", a song with bongo drums, and "Big Cry" which is a sweeping R&B song. Overall RESTLESS was worth the wait, and does not disapoint at all!

Now I'm someone pretty well jaded one might say. Pretty well biased you could say. Nothing but nothing will ever tear me away from my Shania and my Faith (Hill). But I have to tell you... this girl can sing! What a voice! It's like velvet! So clear and clean and smooth. This Sara Evans "Restless" album is a must have! This is the first time (11/07/04) I have sat down and listened to it from start to finish and me... the biggest Shania fan in the universe, instantly fell in love with Sara and her voice. Instantly! Now I can't stop listening to it! It's just my opinion but, not one weak track on this entire disc. I mean it. No filler. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Sara Evan's latest release... "Restless". Not only is Sara a very beautiful girl but can she carry a note and then some! A beautiful voice! On "Restless"... Sara Shines 4 Sure!

Without a doubt, Restless is the best CD that Sara Evans has released. Born to Fly was such an awesome CD that outdoing it would be nearly impossible, but with Restless Sara has managed to do just that. Not only is Restless filled with songs that showcase Sara's versatility as an artist and how much she has grown, but also show her roots and demonstates that she hasn't forgotten where she came from. When you finish listening to the entire CD you're left with an upbeat feeling of hope. Sara has woven that idea of hope and perseverance into nearly every song chosen to be on Restless. Usually, when you buy a CD you have one or two songs that you aren't so hot about, but this isn't the case with Restless. It is hard to choose just one favorite. Some favorites are the upbeat and so true Perfect, Rockin' Horse with Vince Gill on backup, and the moving story of a young girl in Backseat of a Greyhound Bus. Do yourself a favor, buy this CD.

On her fourth set RESTLESS, Sara Evans attempts to build on the momentum gained from her previous breakthrough BORN TO FLY, while at the same time adding a few more pop touches and veering farther from the traditional country that marked her first and, to a lesser degree, second albums. Which is to say she wants to remain relevant in the "Nashvegas" establishment--no problem there, considering that Evans' song selection remains spot-on and her voice still one of the more distinctive in country circles. First single "Backseat Of A Greyhound Bus", highly reminiscent of something you might here from Martina McBride, wasn't the huge hit it should have been but remains one of Evans' best singles. Other very strong offerings here include the Celtic-styled title track, the upbeat twosome "Perfect" and "To Be Happy", and the soul influenced "Otis Redding" and "Big Cry". All in all, this ranks right with BORN TO FLY in terms of musical quality, and about ten notches above alot of the assembly-line dreck that continues to filter out of Nashville.

Sara Evans is back with her first new album in 2 and a half years since 2000's BORN TO FLY. The first single is "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus", a song about a young woman who gives birth to a baby girl out of wedlock on a greyhound bus, and finds everything she was looking for. The album fared alright at country radio, cracking the top 20. "Rockin Horse" opens the album, a rocking country song about a tree that is hit with lightening and the rocking horse is made from that frightening experience. The title track is a bluesy, celtic sounding song that Sara has said, is her favorite song on the album. "Niagara" is the big ballad of the album, it should defiantely be a single it has hit written all over it. "Perfect" is slated to be the next single, or "Niagara", either one would be nice, "Perfect" is about not needing to have a perfect relationship with someone. "Need To Be Next To You" is another excellent ballad, a Diane Warren penned song that Leigh Nash from Sixpence None The Richer recorded for the BOUNCE soundtrack a few years ago. Sara does it justice. "To Be Happy" is a fun uptempo song that's positive. "Tonight" is a nice ballad that Sara said she wants to be a single. "Otis Redding" is a different song for her but it's definately a standout on the album. "I Give In" is a nice ballad that I predict will be a big hit at country radio if released. "Big Cry" is an interesting song, with its R&B sound. The album closes with the country/bluegrass sounding "Suds In The Bucket" which is pretty funny, and definately a highlight. Overall RESTLESS is a great CD, may even be her best CD yet.

I love Sara Evans! Some people will surely accuse her of not "being country" on this album. I don't care what you call it - I just love it.

I started out writing how I felt about each song, but all I was typing was, "this song is great" or "I love this song." I don't know how to describe good music, other than it is just good music. The ballad "Niagara Falls" is fantastic. It's really your typical ballad, but with Sara's voice it has such power that it really blows me away. Same with "I Give In."

"Rockin' Horse" and "Feel it Comin' On" completely rock and to the contrary, "Suds in the Bucket" is the "countriest" song on the album. It's hilarious. ;o) If you like 'Born to Fly', I have a feeling you will really enjoy this album at least as much as 'Born to Fly', if not more. Go Sara! You rock! :o)