Faith Hill Album: “It Matters to Me”

There's nothing on IT MATTERS TO ME as brash as her country take on the rock classic "Piece Of My Heart." Otherwise, Faith Hill's second album sounds like her first--twangy country with working-class heart, a sassy voice reminiscent of Loretta Lynn, and a sense of social relevance learned from Reba McEntire. Best of all, Hill still cuts across a range of styles, refusing to be tied down to any one of the sub-genres her influences might suggest. "Bed Of Roses" and "You Will Be Mine" are assertive and rocking numbers about, respectively, keeping a lothario at bay and chasing a guy who's too shy to make the first move. On them, Hill's big southern voice is matched by jangling electric guitars that wouldn't be out of place on a Bruce Springsteen album. When it opens, "A Man's Home Is His Castle" could, in fact, be a piano ballad about one of Springsteen's heroic blue-collar losers, but as it swells into a studio pop arrangement, it turns out this particular loser is an abused wife who's about to buy a gun; this is the kind of reality that doesn't impose itself on mainstream country albums too often. "A Room In My Heart," on the other hand, shows an affinity for classic country-pop balladry with its beautifully slow chorus. "Let's Go To Vegas" is a quickie wedding proposal, which--depending on who's making it--could be the kind of mistake that'll get you into a mid-life crisis before you're 25, or the kind of crazy hunch that could snap you right out of one. So far in her bright career, Faith Hill has shown the kind of clearheadedness and surefootedness that if she asked you, you'd be a fool not to take the chance.

It Matters To Me was released in August 1995. It is a country album that a country fan cannot do without. There are some very memorable songs on this album, and some of Faith's big hits.

Someone Else's Dream is a great song that opens the album, also one of the album's singles. Lets Go To Vegas is another fun song about taking a chance on love in Vegas, and getting married, another single as well. The title track It Matters To Me is a beautiful ballad that will always be remembered, which spent a few weeks at #1 on the country charts.

The album continues with another fun song called Bed of Roses. The album takes a serious tone on the fifth track called A Mans Home Is His Castle, a song about domestic abuse. The album starts to regain its uptempo mood with the song You Cant Lose Me, which was the fourth single from the album. I Cant Do That Anymore is another power ballad about a woman who compromised everything for her marriage, but becoming fed up with her husbands attitude claiming she cant take anymore. This was the final single from the album, written by Alan Jackson.

The album closes with three more tracks, Room in My Heart, a nice ballad, You Will Be Mine, an uptempo song, and Keep Walkin On, a gospel duet with Shelby Lynne.

Faith's first album Take Me As I Am got Faith attention, but there was no denying after this album that Faith is a country diva. This is a must have!

I like Faith's later music up to a point, but this is my favorite of hers. I yearn for the day when she makes another album like this - after her hit-making days are over, perhaps?

The songs are variously feisty (Bed of roses, You will be mine), just plain fun (Viva Las Vegas) or serious (A man's home is his castle, about domestic violence). There's even a gospel duet (Keep walkin' on) with the great Shelby Lynne.

The whole feel of the album is country, albeit with a contemporary edge, very different from Faith's later albums. Some of the sad songs have upbeat backing music, so if you don't listen too closely you may not realise just how sad they really are.

This is a brilliant album. Following on from her debut (Take me as I am), another brilliant album, I expected more of the same to follow. It didn't, but her later albums are not as bad as some would have you believe.

Usually when an artist does their sophomore album, there's lots of pressure. Undoubtedly Faith Hill had a lot to prove, after the success of her first album TAKE ME AS I AM. But not to worry, this album was a multiplatinum seller and had many hits. Songs like "Lets Go To Vegas" and "Bed of Roses" show Faith's fun side. The album is pretty heavy on some songs, such as the ballad "A Man's Home Is His Castle", a song about domestic abuse. Or "I Can't Do That Anymore" (written by Alan Jackson) a song about a woman who is giving everything for her marriage but getting nothing in return. "You Can't Lose Me" is a nice uptempo song about motherly love, and "Someone Else's Dream" is another great uptempo song. The title track is the pivotal song of the album in my opinion, a ballad about a relationship in trouble, and how it matters to one more than the other. That was one of her biggest hits, spending weeks at #1 on the chart. Later other hits from other albums passed this, like "This Kiss" (1998) and "Breathe" (1999). Other highlights include "Room In My Heart" and the duet with Shelby Lynne, "Keep Walkin On". Definately a strong album all around.

While it doesn't have monster hits like "Take Me As I Am" had (e.g. "Wild One", "Piece Of My Heart) , this album is more consistent overall.

Everything on here is at least above average.

Most are good to very good.

I cannot give this a full 5 stars, because 2 of Carrie Underwood's albums are significantly better and definitely earned 5 stars. However, I would have given this close to 4.25 stars had we been able to use partial stars.

As far as individual songs, "It Matters To Me" gets an "A-" from me.

Everything else on this album ranges from a B- to a B+.

Very consistent quality, even though there isn't the mega hits as in her other albums. But that is perfectly fine, I think good to very good consistent quality is a lot better than having a mega hit and lots of mediocrity (see "Breathe", "Faith" albums).

Overall, this is a B+ album in my opinion, barely below an A-. My favorite of her albums, with "Take Me As I am" as a close second.

Faith was definitely at her best in her first 2 albums.