Customer Reviews

War Paint

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

 

 

I have all of Lorrie's CD's since 1989's "Leave A Light On", and this is my overall favorite. With songs like "Heart Over Mind", "Warpaint", "My Night To Howl" and "The Hard Part Was Easy", this album is classic. But the good stuff doesn't end there, as there are some beautiful ballads here also. "Exit 99", "Evening Up The Odds", "If You Came Back From Heaven" and a classic remake, "Don't Touch Me", all make this album one of her all time best, if not THE best. Highly Recommended.

When I was in middle school, everyone in my family - except me - was a country music fan, and my dad received this album as a gift. I was familiar with Lorrie Morgan already through hearing some of her older music on the radio (since my parents always had country music playing), including classics like "Watch Me" (my favorite song of hers), "Except For Monday," and "What Part Of No." Though I claimed not to like country at the time, there was something about this album - which spent a LOT of time in our CD stereo - that captivated me. This entire album is full of interesting, engaging, well-written and occasionally witty songs, especially "Exit 99," "1-800-Used-To-Be," and the title song, in which Lorrie names off the colors of the makeup she's putting on as she gets ready to leave her louse of a lover: "Red is for the anger that you put me through... /An iridescent yellow for the coward that you've been," and so on. I also used to love singing along with "The Hard Part Was Easy," which features a guest vocal by Alison Krauss (which, to my untrained ears, sounded like Dolly Parton the first time I heard it). The real standout moment on this album, though, is the breathtaking "If You Came Back From Heaven." That song could move even the most stoic person to tears. It's the perfect song for anyone who has lost someone dear to them. Country radio station WYCD in Detroit used to get a lot of requests for that song, and yet I don't think it was a hit - maybe someone can correct me on that. Mariah Carey's similarly-themed "One Sweet Day" has nothing on it. Another favorite is "Evening Up The Odds," which just screams "adult contemporary classic" - if it had been recorded a few years later, after Shania Twain and Faith Hill hit big on the pop charts, and had been promoted to mainstream audiences, I think it would have done well. I remember being shocked at the time that I never heard it on the radio. Then there's her version of Jeannie Seely's 1966 classic "Don't Touch Me"... can you tell I'm partial to her ballads? Of course, all of this would mean nothing were it not for the flawless performance given by Ms. Morgan herself. She's got one of the most unique, expressive and beautiful voices in country music. She sounds like she puts all of herself into each song. There's a little Dolly, a little Linda (Ronstadt), and a lot of talent there. Lorrie is truly a gifted woman, and it's sad that she's faded from the country scene in recent years while marginal talents like Kenny Chesney go platinum. Thank you Lorrie, your fans still love you even if country radio doesn't.

This album was less successful than some of Lorrie's earlier albums, perhaps because the competition for airplay was getting harder, but there is still plenty of good music here. Three singles (My night to howl, War paint, If you came back from heaven) were released to American country radio but made only limited impact.

The set opens with My night to howl, a quirky song complete with howling noises. It may not suit everybody but it certainly grabs your attention. After that, the album is typical of Lorrie's music beginning with the excellent title track and including other wonderful songs such as If you came back from heaven, Heart over mind, The hard part was easy, Exit 99 and Evening up the odds.

As ever, Lorrie includes some covers of classic oldies. Good year for the roses, done here as a duet with Sammy Kershaw, is the George Jones oldie that Elvis Costello had a British top ten hit with. Many country singers have covered Don't touch me, the Jeannie Seely classic, but Lorrie's version is as good as any.

This may not be the place to begin a Lorrie Morgan collection but no committed fan of Lorrie's music should be without it.

This album was less successful than some of Lorrie's earlier albums, perhaps because the competition for airplay was getting harder, but there is still plenty of good music here. Three singles (my night to howl, Wear paint, If you came back from heaven) were released to American country radio but made only limited impact.

The set opens with My night to howl, a quirky song complete with howling noises. It may not suit everybody but it certainly grabs your attention. After that, the album is typical of Lorrie's music beginning with the excellent title track and including other wonderful songs such as If you came back from heaven, Heart over mind, The hard part was easy, Exit 99 and Evening up the odds.

As ever, Lorrie includes some covers of classic oldies. Good year for the roses, done here as a duet with Sammy Kershaw, is the George Jones oldie that Elvis Costello had a British top ten hit with. Many country singers have covered Don't touch me, the Jeannie Seely classic, but Lorrie's version is as good as any.

This may not be the place to begin a Lorrie Morgan collection but no committed fan of Lorrie's music should be without it.

Lorrie Morgan did it again with this 1994 release. A good mix of songs, my favourite happens to be "My night to howl", a fun up-beat song. But every song is good. With some help on background vocals from Alison Krauss, Billy Joe Walker Jr, Pam Tillis and Sammy Kershaw, this album is a winner. Clever lyrics, good music and Lorrie's distinctive voice.

There are so many more men than women singers, so it seems. And some have a few hits and they move over for the next one. Not this woman or this album. what a great mix of songs and interesting music. Whatever your mood you can most certainly find something to suit your taste. Keep writing and singing Lorrie!

I believe this CD to be the best Lori Morgan has ever done. I have looked for it for a while and was so happy to have found in on Amazon.
Thank You Amazon.

Although "War Paint" is not my favourite Lorrie Morgan album (that honour belongs to "Greater Need"), it is nevertheless a very enjoyable, and indeed at times awesome, collection of material.

The album begins well with "My Night to Howl", a defiant track that Lorrie sings with characteristic style and whose backing features a guitarist using a wah pedal to good effect. Other impressive songs include the album's title track (which is very atmospheric and compelling); "Heart Over Mind", "Don't Touch Me", (a ballad expressing longing) and "Evening Up The Odds" which provides a superb finale.

However, my favourite track is "Exit 99", an instantly enjoyable up-tempo number with a very dramatic feel. Lyrically, the song (which features a short but excellent keyboard solo) reminds me of the sort of subject matter sung by Lorrie's idol, Tammy Wynette. In my opinion, "Exit 99" is one of the best songs Lorrie has ever recorded.

All in all "War Paint" is an impressive and well-recorded album that contains a diverse range of material, including a touch of rock n'roll on "1-800 Used To Be." Moreover, Lorrie's vocal performance is first-class. She is undoubtedly one of the finest singers in country music!

I used to listen to this album a lot in the mid 90s when it first came out. Some songs like "My Night To Howl" and "1800 Used To Be" were fun at the time but now they just sound silly. I literally LOL when I listened to MNTH 16 years later. Lorrie Morgan's a great singer no doubt, but War Paint is a reflection of the country pop era and the steps Nashville was taking to imitate pop (the Madonna like cover, pop-rock flair and overly dramatic musical arrangements). Some songs are more straight ahead or contemporary country like "If You Came Back From Heaven" and "A Good Year For The Roses". It's a mixed bag and I think that the album lacks consistency because it's trying to be too many things all at once.

I don't think that this is a bad album, but it isn't Lorrie's best either. Vocally she's right on as usual and that's why I gave her a 3 star rating because the album's respectable.