Jessica Simpson has released her first country CD and if she hadn’t been in the genre before, she should have been. Whether you believe the tabloid stories about her life and loves or not, when you listen to the emotions and feelings behind the songs chosen for this CD you will believe that she has lived what she sings about.
The first release that hit radio was Come On Over and it rocketed up the charts, an upbeat fast tempo song telling the man in her life to get there fast caught most programmers, listeners and hosts by surprise. I don’t think anyone expected Jessica to sound as different and as good as she did on that song. I reserved judgement on her crossing over until I heard the other songs that she recorded. I’m now saying that she needed to be over her in the country music genre from the beginning. Living with a teenager I heard her pop releases and was never really that impressed with her style. I didn’t care for the breathy sounds that were all over her pop songs. This country CD has done away with that and she sounds much more comfortable with her material and where she is going now.

Remember That is the second track on the CD and has her talking to abused women, it should strike a chord with those in that situation. Hearing her sing it almost makes you feel like she has lived through that type of issue. The whole CD could be a walk down memory lane if you believe half of what the tabloids have written about her marriage and the things she has done since the divorce. To this listener it sounds like she has come out on the right side of what she has been through in her life.

My favorite track on the CD is the duet with Dolly Parton called Do You Know, also the title track. It’s wonderful to hear a legend in country music welcoming a newcomer and adding her incredible talent to this debut. Their voices work well together and with Jessica not sounding like she is straining to hit notes, she can hold her own with Dolly and her powerful voice.

Do I think she is going to take off like Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift? No, but I do think that she brings something new to country that we can all appreciate. Listen to her CD with an open mind, forget what you have heard and read and give her a fair chance to win you over.