Clark CD solidly country

Written by: Don Chance, TimesRecordNews
Website: http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2010/jan/15/clark-jennings-cds-solidly-country/

Terri Clark’s new CD, “The Long Way Home,” slipped under the radar when it came out in November, and that’s a shame. With more than 10 solid chart hits to her credit, and four-plus million CDs sold, the gutsy Canadian singer/songwriter hasn’t seen any significant chart success in half a decade.

And, even though “The Long Way Home” showcases in many ways her no-doubt-about-it country moods, I doubt anything from it will get any more mainstream country radio airplay than anything else she’s released since her mid-1990s glory days.

Still, it’s without a doubt a fine piece of work.

Kicking off feisty with “Gypsy Boots,” Clark leaves no doubt that she’s lost none of the power and passion that established her career.

The seriously country songs, especially “The One You Love,” “A Million Ways to Run,” “If I Could Be You,” “Tough With Me” and “You Tell Me,” an outstanding country duet with rocker Johnny Reid, hit the country mark to perfection. And the hard-edged material, like “If You Want Fire” and “Poor Girls Dream,” along with the title track, should satisfy the country/pop crossover dance club crowd.

Terri Clark may not be Taylor Swift or (if her last album is an indication of a new artistic direction) Carrie Underwood, but she’s something neither of those are: She’s a genuine country singer, and that’s good enough for me.