Customer Reviews

The Trouble with the Truth

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of Patty's most successful albums - deservedly so. It spawned six country hits, which is amazing for a ten-track album. Despite all these hits, only two made it on to her hits collection, Classics, which I reviewed a long time ago.

Tear stained letter is an up-tempo song that this should get your toes tapping. Trouble with the truth is about wrestling with conscience. Lonely too long is a lovely ballad about two people at what might be the beginning of a relationship. You can feel bad is a feisty, up-tempo song in which Patty pours scorn on an ex-partner. A thousand times a day (previously recorded by George Jones on his album, High-tech redneck) is about the difficulty of forgetting an ex-partner. She drew a broken heart, another song about a former relationship, completes the hits.

Of the four non-hits, there are two ballads reminiscing about the past (I miss who I was with you, To feel that way at all), a wonderful, upbeat song (Everybody's equal in the eyes of love) and a brilliant ballad in which Patty dreams of a bright future (Someday I will lead the parade). Any of these four would have made good choices for singles, demonstrating just how strong this album is.

This is a classic album that helped Patty to win CMA female vocalist of the year in 1996. If you enjoy contemporary country, nineties style, you'll love this - it is one of the best examples of this type of music.

From start to finish, this album is an absolute gem. An immediate thrust into the cajun-infused, toe-stompin' "Tear-Stained Letter", followed-up by the title track, a haunting experience of realizing your dishonest self has caught up with you. "It has ruined the taste of the sweetest lies, burned through my best alibis. Every sin that I deny, keeps hanging' round my door". Songs written by John Leventhal (co-writer of Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home") and Matraca Berg (co-writer of Deanna Carter's "Strawberry Wine") join forces with Patty's tender, yet powerful Appalachian vocals. The best cut is "A Thousand Times A Day", a woman's triumph over her battle through heartache. "I've given you up for good, just like I said I would, the night you walked away. Forgetting you is not that hard to do, I've done it a thousand times a day". If there's one album that deserves to be in your country music collection, it's this one.

Still on a roll, Patty Loveless released THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH in early 1996, and the album spawned some more hit singles for her to put under her belt. The album depends mostly on ballads, though there are some nice uptempo songs thrown in for good measure. The first single, the Matraca Berg penned "You Can Feel Bad", was an instant hit for Loveless. The album also features one of my favorite ballads, "Lonely Too Long", about two people who give into passion then justify it by saying they were lonely too long. It was also a single, and a big hit. "A Thousand Times A Day", a smoldering ballad, was the second single, about not being able to get over someone. It was before recorded by George Jones, who she later dueted with on the 1997 song "You Don't Seem To Miss Me". "She Drew A Broken Heart" was also a single, a fun uptempo song. The album is aptly titled, as the songs seem to fit under that umbrella of what truth is, and what it means. Another highlight is the ballad "I Miss Who I Was With You", "To Feel That Way At All", and the positive album closer "Someday I Will Lead The Parade". The mark of a good album is, the non single tracks, could have easily worked as singles. Overall another strong album from Loveless.

The Trouble With The Truth is an excellent album by one of country music's finest female vocalists, Patty Loveless. This is a fine acheivement in her career. The songs are real, sung with such emotion and conviction that any listener could find comfort in its nest of songs, with Patty's beautiful one of a kind voice singing these wonderful songs. The album shows such brutal honesty on songs like The Trouble With The Truth, To Feel That Way At All and Someday I Will Lead The Parade. There are also songs that listeners can find strength in, after leaving a relationship, such as Tear Stained Letter, You Can Feel Bad and She Drew A Broken Heart. There are the beautiful ballads like Lonely Too Long, A Thousand Times A Day and I Miss Who I was (With You). Overall this album satisfies any mood for the listener, making it very accesable and enjoyable. Go out and get it!

OH! BOY! What a fabulous album every song is a winner! Let's start with "Tear-Stained Letter" this very peppy song hooks you in and refuses to let you go, and if you want a song to stick in your head THIS IS ONE OF THEM!. Next "You Can Feel Bad" another very upbeat song and really started off a superb run of hits, this first single is just to beinnging of what's to come from this album and on this album Patty cannot disappoint. With her next hit "Lonely Too Long", this song shows Patty's voice at its best, the song just glides along like every ballad that Patty seems to know how to sing. Next is my favorite from the album "She Drew A Broken Heart", this was sort of a suprise hit, hitting #4, I mean no video and still hits the top 5, this is a different kind of song for Patty, a very somewhat sarcastic breakup song this hits on all cylinders. Next came "A Thousand Times A Day" and while I like this song is was not one of my favorites. And finally the title song "The Trouble With The Truth" a song that sounds so orginial and different that it doesn't sound country. On this album you will not be disappointed even if you are not a country fan, but Patty Loveless is one of those artist that continues to release excellent material a couple of other examples of that would definitely be two more great albums, "When Fallen Angels Fly" and her most recent "Strong Heart, these two compare equally with "The Trouble With The Truth". Patty just knows what her fanbase likes to listen to. Quality music from a quality artist.

Patty is as good as ever on this album of songs about love, mostly broken and lost love. And it all ends with the bittersweet final track, "Someday I will lead the parade", referring to 'her' funeral. These are songs that most of us can or will relate to at one time or another. They can make you weep, make you smile, because they are about human emotions. Highly recommended. And the booklet contains all lyrics and plenty of photos.

This Lady Just Keeps Getting Better. The Song I Like On Here Is: "A Thousand Times A Day". Other Songs On Here Are: "Lonley Too Long", "You Can Feel Bad", And The Title Track. This Is A Must Have For Any Country Music Fan.

This is a very strong collection of songs. I'd say the only really weak track is "To Feel That Way At All". The title track is OK, but the rest are very strong. Just some of the highlights include the soft, mid-tempo acoustic track, "I Miss What I Was (With You)", the slide guitar blues-rocker, "Everybody's Equal in the Eyes of Love" & the excellent ballad "A Thousand Times a Day", featuring some nice, slow fiddle. That's just to name a few. Also includes a couple of radio hits you're probably familiar with.

The "Trouble with the Truth" stirs many emotions I have from relationships. It is an emotional rollercoaster. Nobody can touch your heart and emotions with her voice than Patty Loveless. I dare anybody to listen to this album and not be touched, or think about lost and present loves.

After two sparkling examples of great country music, Patty Loveless' third Sony release seemed to stumble, though only the slightest bit. Her cover of 'Tear-Stained Letter', though admirable, wasn't particularly a standout, and there was little uptempo material to be found, focusing for the most part on ballads. That's not necessarily bad, just that Loveless is that rare breed who excels at both uptempo and balladry, with nary a misstep. So, although the ballads are strong, it would have been nice to see more rockers. Nonetheless, still ten times better than alot of the corporate radio candy released at the time, and the album that won her long deserved Female Vocalist of the Year awards from both the CMAs and ACMs.