Customer Reviews

From There to Here: Greatest Hits

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Lonestar is truly a great country band. Their songs are engaging and the harmonies are superb. This collection takes a look at their early career, and brings you right up to date with their current music too. It's been an interesting career for them. For their first two albums, the selftitled one and CRAZY NIGHTS, it was the 4 members plus John Rich who later left the group. With their third album LONELY GRILL, they found huge crossover success with "Amazed", which secured their place in the world as superstars. With their last album "I'm Already There", it built on that success and then some. The lead single for the collection is the uptempo "My Front Porch Looking In", a fun uptempo that has a great chorus. Another great new song is their remake of Mark Cohn's "Walking In Memphis", which hopefully becomes a single. The hits are worth celebrating too. The softer side is shown on songs like "Amazed", "Smile", "I'm Already There", but they kick it up a notch or two on the uptempos like "You Walked In", "What About Now", "With Me", "No News", etc. This is truly a must have collection for any fans, old or new, of Lonestar.

I have just two questions for the guys of Lonestar: What about "When Cowboys Didn't Dance?" What about "Unusually Unusual?"

Other than that, this is a pretty good CD. Personally, I've been waiting awhile for a greatest hits from this foursome; ever since I purchases their self-titled debut a few years ago, I've waited anxiously for their music to come out. They have heaps of talent, they really do; they are truly one of the best bands in country music today.

On with the music.

Taking a look at this album, you can see that Lonestar enjoy a good ballad; "Tequila Talkin'," "Everything's Changed," "Amazed," "Smile," "Tell Her," TWO versions of "I'm Already There," and "Not a Day Goes By." But their best stuff is, really, when they're cranking it up; "No News," "You Walked In," "What About Now," and "With Me." Their earlier stuff, too (found near the beginning of the album) is best; you know, back when the guys wore belt buckles and hats, and John Rich was still around. Not that I'm complaining. Just reminiscing.

Let's take a look at the new stuff, shall we? You've heard "From My Front Porch Looking In," a rowdy little happy-go-lucky number. "I Pray" is a bit more on the serious side; a ballad of a bad Christian's plea to his God for forgiveness and all that. "Walking in Memphis" is an engaging song about a man going to Memphis to cope with depression and heartache and so forth, and following the ghost of Elvis through the streets. And the new version of "I'm Already There" ("message from home" version) is interlaced with radio messages from family members of soldiers out on call. It really is an emotional number; I felt a tear come to my eye.

Okay, you've waited for it, and here it is: the end of this review. (Or, more correctly I hope, Lonestar's "Greatest Hits".) Subtiled "From There to Here", this album covers the beginning of a great career for a great country music band. If you're a Lonestar fan, you gotta have this album. If you're not really a Lonestar fan, then you should buy this album as a great introductory course into their music. Either way, you should buy this CD so, a few years later, we can have another GREATEST HITS from these guys!

This is truly a great CD. I was not a big Lonestar fan until I recently heard their new release ,"My Front Porch Looking In". They are what I believe is true talent. Their rendition of ,"Walking in Memphis", is better than the original! Dean Sams defines what a talented and excellent pianist truly is. I plan to update my CD collection with the earlier Lonestar CD's but this new CD is one that everyone will definately enjoy. No negative remarks on this one. Only the finest! Thanks for great music and keep up the great work!

This seventeen-track collection charts the dramatic evolution of Lonestar as a country act. For their first two albums - 1995's Lonestar and 1997's Crazy Nights - Lonestar was a quintet. Decked out in western wear, up-tempo stompers like "No News," "Come Cryin' To Me," and "You Walked In" as well as the occasional gritty ode like "Tequila Talkin,'" established Lonestar as competent honkytonkers.

By the release of their third album - 1999's Lonely Grill - Lonestar had undergone significant changes. Bassist and occasional lead singer John Rich left the group for a solo career (which has yet to take off) and the western wear was dropped in favor of hip, Gap-type duds. The honkytonkers were largely replaced by sentimental ballads such as "Amazed, "Smile" and "Tell Her" that effectively utilized lead singer Richie McDonald's emotional, elastic tenor, and appealed directly to droves of female listeners. 2001's I'm Alright There with its touching title smash and its follow-up "Not A Day Goes By" repeated this winning formula.

In addition to the aforementioned country hits, From There To Here also includes three new recordings. The perky leadoff single, "My Front Porch Looking In," with lines like "there's a carrot top that can barely walk with a sippy cup of milk" that effectively zero in on its soccer mom demographic, has already topped the country charts. "I Pray" is an inspirational ballad that's melodically reminiscent of "Smile," while their energetic remake of Marc Cohn's "Walking In Memphis" - a longtime concert staple - is one of the best recordings they've made in awhile. The latter successfully incorporates sentiment and grit, a combination Lonestar should strive for more in the future.

I am a new lonestar fan. I absolutly love their Greatest Hits cd. It is filled with great music. My Fave Lonestar songs are Amazed and I'M Already there. The other songs on this cd that are just as good. Anyone who likes Lonestar should have this cd. It will be one that is good listening music.

This CD is awesome! It is one of the few CD's that I could listen to non-stop without getting sick of it. When I first listened to "I'm Already There" with the messages in it, I cried. I don't know anyone over seas, but just listening to that song made me realize how hard it is for the people who do have loved ones in the armed forces. The other songs on this CD won't make you cry, but rather make you smile. The songs are very easy going and very easy to listen to.

Wow! This has got to be the best CD I've ever had! While most CDs have a few good songs and the rest are crap, this is quality throughout. My favorites: "Amazed" - how can you not love this song? Everyone knows it so I won't go on with that. "I'm Already There" - another popular one that everyone knows. A beautiful love song that makes me tear up every time I hear it! "Come Cryin' to Me" - probably my favorite song on the album... a great one to sing along to! Medium-paced. "Walking in Memphis" - an up tempo song that shows great range, fun, and lively. "Everything Changed" - a kind of sad song, but very beautiful. A slower pace and an excellent chorus. There are so many other songs that I love, but I'll leave you with just these. DEFINITELY worth the money!!!

I think that this Cd is awesome. It is a CD that I got months ago and still listen to very often. The great thing about it is because there are so many songs,you never get tired of any. The songs on this CD are sentimental and true. Lonestar's lyrics really make you feel touched and can easily lighten your mood. If you are looking for a CD that is worth your money, this is definetly one to buy. Songs like "Tell Her", "Come Crying to Me", and "Smile" are songs written from the heart. Songs like "What About Now " and "When Your With Me" are upbeat songs that are fun and easy to sing along to. Whether you are listening to cheer up or just to have fun, this is the Cd for you. I recommend it to anyone who likes light country. It is definetly worth it!

Have you noticed that the radio stations only chatter in the morning as oppose to playing music? This cd gets me through the traffic chaos and into my parking space on the student lot almost every morning. Good assortment of their hits in addition to the new songs. ;) The only thing that I'm not wild about is the version of "Tell Her." I prefer the radio version because of its fuller sound as oppose to the version found on this cd. It's still great though! :)

The CD delivers one story after another; presented with a down-to-earth quality that just makes you smile.