Mark Chesnutt Album: “I Don't Want to Miss a Thing”

Description :

Personnel: Mark Chesnutt (vocals, acoustic guitar); B. James Lowry, Biff Watson, Pat Flynn, Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar); Brent Rowan, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Buddy Emmons, Paul Franklin, Sonny Garrish (steel guitar); Larry Franklin (fiddle); Jelly Roll Johnson (harmonica); Wayne Toups (squeeze box); Steve Nathan (piano, organ, synthesizer); John Barlow Jarvis (piano, organ); Glenn Worf, Michael Rhodes, Mike Brignardello (bass); Lonny Wilson, Owen Hale (drums); Tom Roady (percussion); Curtis Young, Liana Manis, John Wesley Ryles, Dennis Wilson, Chris Rodriguez, Tim Davis, Natalie Grant (background vocals). <p>Recorded at Big Javelina and Oceanway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee. <p>All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology. <p>Since his 1990 debut CD, Mark Chesnutt has always been one of the more reliable providers of traditional country music. He continues that tradition here--but with a few twists. The biggest is the title cut, a remake of Aerosmith's #1 pop hit from the ARMAGEDDON soundtrack. The song, written by Diane "How Do I Live" Warren, works surprisingly well as a country ballad, and Chesnutt's emotion-packed vocals render the somewhat mushy lyrics utterly believable. <p>Elsewhere, Chesnutt goes Cajun for the rollicking "Jolie," and adds a touch of blues to the terrific "The Heartache Never Sleeps." And when it comes to comical songs, Chesnutt has picked two winners here. There's the clever "That's the Way You Make An Ex," and "My Way Back Home," the hilarious tale of a carousing husband who returns to his mobile home, only to find that his angry wife has driven it off to parts unknown. Another standout is the wistful "Tonight I'll Let My Memory Take Me Home." Chesnutt's delivered an immensely enjoyable album, with well-written songs and excellent production that showcases his fantastic vocals.

This 1999 release is a far cry from Mark Chesnutt's more honky-tonk material ("Savin' the Honky Tonk," 2004), but for mainstream Nashville, the guy's got a great voice, and the songs are meant to please modern-country sensibilities. Every one of them is about love, love won, or love lost. It's Tim McGraw-Faith Hill material, especially the first cut, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."

There's sweet nostalgia in "Tonight I'll Let My Memory Take Me Home" and a touch of Cajun in "Jolie." The guy is totally infatuated in "I'm Gone." And tough love takes a comic turn in "My Way Back Home." Only 10 great songs on this CD (and some are great for dancing), but the price is right. Comes with lyrics and some great publicity shots of the singer.