Fireflies

Faith Hill

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 2, 2005)
• Original Release Date: August 2, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B0009X7768
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (233 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,331 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It's hard to imagine a more schizophrenic album than Fireflies, but Faith Hill, the comely pride of Star, Mississippi, had a lot of different factions to please. There's the country set, furious about the L.A. excess of 2002's Cry, as ravaged a pop album as ever made. Then there's the club set, which actually mistook Cry for music, and wanted more. Finally, there's Hill herself, still bruised from the critical drubbing the last album got, and obviously feeling the need to prove herself anew, going brunette to show her transformation. The bad news about Fireflies is that the all-out country songs--the autobiographical "Mississippi Girl," which practically begs forgiveness for Cry, and the cartoonish "Dearly Beloved," a hoedown ditty about a shotgun wedding--are embarrassing attempts to show that the Dixified diva hasn't gotten above her raising. Then, two other offerings--Darrell Scott's preachy protest number "We've Got Nothing But Love to Prove" and the beautiful torch ballad "Paris"--are both lyrical head-scratchers, and find the artist floundering as to who she is and what she's about. Where Hill knowingly flexes her muscle is in tackling three complex, literate songs by alt-folkie Lori McKenna--the title track (about the power of dreams), "Stealing Kisses" (about reevaluating life choices), and "If You Ask" (about living with a substance abuser). Hill gives these performances nuanced readings that say buckets more about her own life than "Mississippi Girl" could ever convey, and point to an emotional reservoir Hill is just beginning to tap. Here's hoping she goes back to that well again and again. --Alanna Nash

Have Some Faith

Cry	Breathe	Faith
It Matters to Me	Take Me as I Am	There You'll Be

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great voice, marginal songs, August 22, 2005

By	Sean Pearson (Upstate NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wow, there are so many opinions being thrown into this review forum, mostly in the 2 camps of "best ever" and "sell out" camps. Many reviewers have made excellent points on both sides. I'd like to add a few thoughts, and an anecdote.

There are some good songs here: "Sunshine..." and "Mississippi Girl", for example, are catchy and pleasant. Many of the others are merely adequate, elevated by Faith's superb voice and presence. Generally, the album isn't all it could be, which is why so many reviewers are disappointed with this release. Faith usually picks better songs than these, though it's worth admitting that none of her albums has had the consistency in songwriting quality that, say, Jo Dee Messina had on her breakthrough "I'm Alright". Faith's albums are usually half good, half skippable. Her voice is what makes her such a solid artist. Okay, and she's pretty, but when I'm listening to a CD I don't care what the performer looks like. If the song and/or performance are solid, the CD works. As usual with Faith, the performances are great but the songs...well...

But then, after enduring yet another tepid duet with her husband - who also consistently sings and performs well, but releases so-so albums - and more forgettable songs, we get "Wish For You". This is a standout track, a beautiful lullaby for her children and for everyone who can still be moved by the power of innocence and hope. This track alone adds one star to my review.

And then we get "Paris". Amazon's reviewer may find this song puzzling, but I sure didn't. I also can't stop playing it, and it's one of the few tracks I immediately ripped to my computer. This is a 40s-style torch song, and Faith shows off the strength of her voice and the emotional delivery she can bring to a good song. The first time I heard this, I got chills. I think most people would, especially if they could let go of the prejudice that Faith Hill must automatically equal "Country". It's an incredible, powerful song. No, it's not country, but it's not pop, either. It's just good music - and worth another 2 full stars alone.

As for "Mississippi Girl," I have a true story to pass along: A former coworker and his wife and 2 kids stopped at a remote truck stop in the heart of the Midwest several years ago. As they were sitting down with their meals, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw walked into the restaurant with their children. Their entourage followed later, but Faith and Tim sat with my friend and his family so their kids could play together. Obviously everyone knew who they were, but nobody asked for autographs and they never acted like they deserved special treatment. They just sat and talked to another set of parents as their children played and everyone ate. They stayed a couple of hours, just sitting and drinking coffee and talking, and then both families went their separate ways - my friends to their car, Faith and Tim to their tour bus. As my friend told the story, he stressed that both celebrities never acted like they were different or wanted to be treated differently. They acted just like everyone else in that restaurant - good people, good parents, good neighbors.

So when Faith sings "Mississippi Girl," I believe that behind all the glamor and fame, she's still a decent person and a good mother and wife. Being a celebrity changes people, but I don't think it's changed her core values or identity, not yet. Please, give the woman a break - let's not tear her down with all-too-easy cynicism and judgmental scorn. It's just a song, and she's just doing what she does best - singing.

3 stars for her voice, 0 stars for song selection. Next time, Faith, please take some chances and pick stronger songs...

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Faith's best - if not her best - albums ever, August 2, 2005

By	James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I have enjoyed Faith Hill's music immensely since her first cd TAKE ME AS I AM came out in 1993. I must admit, however, that I was pretty disappointed with her last cd, 2002's CRY which I felt contained too many ballads that sounded alike. I am overjoyed that her latest cd FIREFLIES is a well-balanced return to the more country-oriented sounds that first made me a Hill admirer.

One of the keys to FIREFLIES' success is the great song selection. John Rich of Big & Rich fame wrote three of the cd's 14 tracks, including the first single "Mississippi Girl." He wrote that one about Faith after spending a few weeks with her on a Tim McGraw tour that Big & Rich opened. Rich also contributed the power ballad "Like We Never Loved At All" which is already my all-time favorite Faith & Tim collaboration and the catchy "Sunshine and Summertime." Three other key tracks are contributed by singer-songwriter Lori McKenna ("If You Ask," "Stealing Kisses," and the title track). They add a sparse, rootsy sound that was lacking in previous Hill recordings (particularly the overpolished CRY). The underappreciated Warren Brothers also provide a nice change of pace with their footstomping composition "The Lucky One."

In addition to the great song selection, another strong selling point for FIREFLIES is Hill's voice, which sounds stronger than ever and seems to relish the chance to tackler a wider range of musical styles. Now that she's back on track musically, hopefully we won't have to wait three more years until her next cd is released.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faith Hill is back, August 2, 2005

By	Robert G Yokoyama (Mililani, Hawaii) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Fireflies is Faith Hill's first album in over 3 years. Although she did not write any of the songs on this album, I think that these tracks reflect her feelings and toward each subject in the song. The musicians on this album really shine too. Dan Dugmore plays the steel guitar and banjo on these tracks, and Stuart Duncan is so great on the fiddle. They accompany Faith by providing an interesting, energetic country sound to her vocals. My favorite track is Sunshine Summertime. It is great upbeat song about having fun in the summer by doing things like celebrating with friends, enjoying the sunshine, listening to music, and driving around in cars. Mississippi Girl is a song about how Faith has remained a modest, sweet, humble Southern girl despite her fame as a country music star. Faith shows that she still has incredible vocal range on this song. I also like the title Fireflies. It is a song that reminds us that we should always have something to dream and hope for.

There are excellent songs about different aspects of a relationship on this album. If You Ask is a heartwrenching tune about being in love with someone who has a drinking problem. This is a touching song about love and forgiveness. It is one of my favorites, and I think Faith sings it so well. Dearly Beloved is a funny song about how temporary love and committment can be in a marriage sometimes. Stealing Kisses is a song about a lonely wife who wants her husband to show her some affection and tenderness. I think a lot of women can relate to the lyrics in this song. Paris is a very pretty song about how all the little things you would do for someone you love. We Got Nothing But Love To Prove is a very meaningful song about a call for people to work together to put an end to all the violence in our society.

Fireflies is the album Faith's fans have been waiting for, and they won't be disappointed. I loved listening to this CD.