Water & Bridges

Kenny Rogers

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: March 21, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Liberty
• ASIN: B000E6ELH8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,006 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Could Kenny Rogers be a continuous, viable presence on country radio today? Probably not. In 1999, "Buy Me a Rose" made him the oldest artist to reach #1 in the history of the country charts. And to the contemporary tattoo-and-tank-top record buyers, that rates the Gambler a great-grandfather--hey, maybe as old as Hank Williams, ya think? Nonetheless, Water and Bridges, his first studio effort in three years, is an impressive comeback. Produced by Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Keith Urban), who keeps the backing leaner than you might expect, the album spotlights a mature man looking back and surveying his life with clear-eyed honesty and more than a little regret. What strikes a listener most is both the quality of songs (by such veteran writers as Craig Wiseman, Annie Roboff, and Mike Reid) and how authentic and soulful Rogers seems throughout, particularly in dealing with the recurring theme of loss. Whether contemplating a long-ago abortion, a lifelong rift with a parent, or the tug of home--even when home is no longer there--Rogers always underplays the sentiment, adding weight to his pathos. "The Last 10 Years (Superman)" and "The Petition" seem a little too obvious and maudlin, but Huff and Rogers make up for it with the extraordinary "You'll Know Love," a sophisticated and anguished ballad of nearly paralyzing grief. Call it just one of many surprises on this album of unexpected and serious depth. --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I keep coming back to listen to this CD over and over, August 25, 2006

By	John (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

When I saw this CD promoted on CMT I wrote it off as a sad, washed-up former star trying to make a comeback (I was also put off by his apparent plastic surgery - what happened to this poor guy?). I decided to check it out anyway - listening to "I Can't Unlove You". I was immediately hooked. This is a wonderful song and Kenny's voice is simply amazing. A few of the songs are somewhat corny (as others have noted) but I found them to be a nice diversion from the usual Top 40 fare focused on sex, drugs or worse. After buying and listening to the entire CD I was very impressed - there are some great songs here that will stick with you long after you've listened to them. This is a great CD and will probably be sadly overlooked by many people because of the "reasons" I stated above. If you are as skeptical as I was give it a listen anyway - you will be pleasantly surprised.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't think I liked Kenny........but, June 23, 2006

By	Vickie J. Perkins (Glasgow KY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have never been much of a Kenny Rogers fan. But I really liked the first release on his new album. So I thought I'd go for it. I love, love, love it! I have a tendency to like my music melancholy. So this was my cup of tea. I would highly recommend it!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Debbie, March 30, 2006

By	Debbie Lynn "Debbie" (Florida) - See all my reviews

One needs a box of tissues the first time this album is listened to. Anyone who is a baby boomer coming of age, will relate to most of these songs & it will stir emotions thought to have been put away a long time ago.
I loved it.....