Disco de Reba McEntire: “What If It's You”

This album, from 1996, is full of quality. The first four tracks on this album were all hits in the American country charts, these being How was I to know (about recovering from a broken relationship and feeling better than ever), The fear of being alone (about a couple spending time together to avoid being alone), What if it's you (in which a woman discovers that a man is unavailable and wonders if she'll find somebody else) and I'd rather ride around with you (about somebody who is supposed to be at her cousin's wedding but prefers to be riding around with her man).

The other songs - all excellent - are It don't matter (about a relationship that appears to be in trouble despite - or because - the couple having everything they need), State of Grace (about a woman who packs in her regular job for a bit of adventure), Close to crazy, Just looking for him (two songs about women unable to get over losing a man), She's calling it love (about a woman who is infatuated with a man who takes advantage of her) and Never had a reason to (about a woman who didn't do what the others did - fall in love, get married and raise a family - but eventually finds love).

Reba has recorded so many great albums in her career and this is one of them. It has more of a country feel to it than some her nineties albums though it still has a pop sheen to it. If you enjoy Reba's nineties music, you should buy this album.

I have been a fan of Reba's even before I liked country music. This cd was the first one that I bought of hers. I had to buy it a 2nd time because I wore out the first cd.

This is the cd that Reba seems to explore her "pop-esque" country side. "I'd Rather Ride Around With You", "How Was I to Know" and "State of Grace" are all typical Reba with a little pop added in for good measure. But she does not forget what brought her to the top of the country music scene: her sweet yet powerful voice. "Just Looking for Him" and "What If It's You" are prime examples as to why she is the QUEEN OF COUNTRY. If I had a list of my favorite cds of all time: this one would defintely be in the top 10!!!

Wow! What a great album! At this point in her career, Reba was turning out some great albums. 1994's READ MY MIND, 1995's STARTING OVER, after this one in 1996 was 1998's IF YOU SEE HIM and 1999's SO GOOD TOGETHER.

WHAT IF IT'S YOU is a collection of country music which is a bit more polished, but it doesn't take away from the wonderful quality and substance in each song. Along with her shorter hair, there is somewhat of a new found freedom in Reba's personality and music.

"How Was I To Know" is a catchy album opener about finding inner strength. "The Fear of Being Alone", the first single from the album, is a song about giving in and not being alone. "What If It's You" the album's final single, is a tender ballad with a lot of conviction in Reba's strong emotional voice. It was used as the conclusion to the video of "Id Rather Ride Around With You", both videos worked together. "Id Rather Ride Around With You" is a video where Reba and this guy are trying to get to a wedding but having no luck, and finding love and companionship together on the way. "What If It's You" is a more serious look at the relationship, when Reba watches him with another woman, wondering if he was the true one.

The album has a lot of great tracks, there is not one bad song. "She's Just Looking For Him" is a nice ballad, so is "Never Had A Reason To". This is a great album for country fans, and a must have. It has some really good music, and the pictures in the booklet are some of the best pictures yet of Reba. A must own.

After the medicore covers album STARTING OVER, Reba McEntire returned with this effort, probably her best in years. Whereas her later albums have been littered with slick, adult comtemporary styled ballads, WHAT IF IT'S YOU presents a beautiful spate of uptempo tunes, and the production isn't the typically shiny affair that a McEntire record usually is. In fact the production is very reminiscent of what you would hear on a Mary Chapin Carpenter album--lots a acoustic based, upbeat tunes that perfectly showcase McEntire's great vocal work. The few ballads here, particularly the title track, are first-rate, resulting in an overall tight package. Still one of the most underrated albums in McEntire's considerable catalog.

Listening to stuff like this makes me think of the days when Reba was a "true" country singer. This project contains no evidence of this!! I want to cry.