Customer Reviews

What a Woman Knows / Thousand Tears Ago

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great voice, who writes and sings about things we all have experienced, yet does so in such a way that grabs your ears.

Like so many aspiring singers, Kris recorded one album before disappearing back into obscurity. She has a twangy country voice that would put some people off but endear her to others. The music has a contemporary edge but should appeal to most fans of traditional country. The tempo of the music varies from slow ballads to rocking up-tempo songs but is generally more upbeat than you might expect from reading the lyrics in the booklet. With top producers Emory Gordy Jr and Tony Brown at the helm, this album (which even got a UK release at the time) might have been expected to achieve much greater success than it did. Sadly, the singles didn't get much airplay in America. The label (Rising tide) went out of business and no other label signed Kris, so another promising career ended.

Kris wrote five of the songs alone and co-wrote five of the others, two of them with Sharon Rice, who co-wrote (with Bill Rice) the only other song here (Love don't be a stranger). Most of the songs (Here's me, I'm in trouble now, Old boyfriend, She's only a cowboy when it rains, Kind of like California, Love don't be a stranger, A thousand tears ago) focus on ex-lovers in various situations. Three of the other four are about unfaithful men. Kris explains that a man cannot hide his unfaithfulness in What a woman knows. In Rocking horse, Kris goes along with a man she knows will be unfaithful because he is exciting. Texas hotel is the story of a man looking for (and finding) extra-marital affairs. The remaining song (Keeping your kisses) is about a woman so obsessed with her man that she can't concentrate on anything else.

This album deserved to sell far more copies than it did, but if you enjoy traditional twangy country music with a contemporary edge, give this a listen - if you can find a copy.

This CD by Kris Tyler is a refreshing change from the big haired divas that seem to dominate the Country Music scene these days. Every song on this CD a winner. The fact that Tyler writes most of the music on this CD further sets her apart from the rest of the Country pack. Her singing is first rate and natural and shines from ballads like "Keeping your Kisses" to "What a Woman Knows" to upbeat tunes like "Rockin' Horse". I hope that the Country Music stations here in Northern California sit up and take notice of this fine new talent and I what I would like to say to Ms Tyler is "you GO girl" and don't let those folks in Nashville spoil what you have!

This is a good album from Kris Tyler. Too bad she apparently didn't try to make any more. The music is country with a more traditional sound to it than what is usually put out these days, but it is still contemporary enough to appeal to fans of that style and be acceptable to those who are not chiefly fans of country. The songwriting is good, good lyrics. There's not a lot of fast stuff, but there's upbeat stuff. Some songs can be kind of wistful and regretful, but never depressing. Some notable songs:

Here's Me

Keeping Your Kisses - a nice slow ballad

I'm In Trouble Now

She's Only a Cowboy

Rocking Horse - faster tune

Love Don't Be a Stranger - has been done by others, like Sara Evans. Kris's version is very respectable

Texas Hotel - great song with lots of grit and attitude. Woman is impatiently waiting for her love affair to arrive.

Just like the title of this review, "A Thousand Tears Ago" is my favorite song on Kris' album. I've shared this CD with friends who all wanted a copy of it for themselves! I've bought four of them so far to give as gifts - one to a friend who is the mother of an aspiring young singer/songwriter herself and when she heard Kris she believed that her daughter would love it. And she did! I've heard that when the recording label that originally signed Kris went out of business Kris cried "a thousand tears," too, but she has NEVER given up writing and singing and has many new songs that haven't been released (yet?). I have been privy to a few of the songs and I will be the first one in line to obtain the new album! Kris has a wonderful emotive voice and she's easy to sing along with. I simply cannot understand why another label hasn't grab her.

This was one of my favorite songs from just a few years back. I jumped at this when I saw it...and it is an incredible CD. I wish there was more product from Kris.

Why did Kris Tyler disappear? This album is simply as good a country album as you get. The production is great, the songs are emotive and easy to listen to, and Kris' voice is pure quality. I hope Kris and her recording company read this and put out another one soon!

Kris does a good job spinning a tale in a clean musical style. Her songs hit home and the music is broad enough to hear something different each time you listen. This is an album that will grow on you. You will certainly find at least one or two songs to which you can relate, personally if not musically.

I met Ms. Tyler and she is as real and down to earth as her songs.

I wish there was a little more music to judge Kris Tyler by. Her voice is a little harsh on ballads but the songwriting can be considered a plus. I enjoy probably 5 of the singles from this album including Keeping Your Kisses and What A Woman Knows. Good album but nothing to jump over the moon for.