Monnie1976's Full Review: Dress Rehearsal by Carolyn Dawn Johnson
God Doesn’t Make Mistakes….Neither Does Carolyn Dawn Johnson on Dress Rehearsal
With a voice full of sunshine, a pen full of insight and a knack for lovely harmonies and memorable melodies Carolyn Dawn Johnson truly is a gift for country music. Blending country and pop seamlessly, Johnson continues her winning record that she began with her excellent 2001 album Room With A View. Just like that album, she effortlessly spans a variety of emotions and topics never sounding tired, generic or bored.
The album opens with the title track “Dress Rehearsal” which is a flawless blend of pop and country. Opening with a rambling, gentle acoustic guitar this song is all about embracing life and how you only get one chance to live it. “Life doesn’t wait for us to get it right, day after night, it just goes on when it goes wrong, it goes and then it’s gone.” Her voice is tender but it also has a power and confidence that shines through at just the right moments. 5/5
“He’s Mine” is another gem with it’s great lyrics and interesting delivery. The hook is razor sharp and it will get stuck in your head almost immediately. All about having that perfect guy waiting at home, this song has a sexy, fun sound that is very enjoyable. She kind of talks it a bit at points but it works really well and you are convinced she means every word she is saying. 5/5 Continuing the theme of a good man is “Life As We Know It” which describes a great relationship and really gets those little details people cherish in their relationships. It’s a really beautiful song and one I can happily relate to. It’s a slower, lilting song with a sweet melody. 5/5
“Simple Life” has a down home Southern feel to it and is all about kicking back and living, well, the simple life. The chorus is catchy and this was the first single from the album. 4/5 “Die of A Broken Heart” slows it down with a song about the pain of ending a relationship and features the background vocals of equally amazing, Keith Urban. It’s more towards traditional country and she does this very well. 4/5
When your first hear the title “God Doesn’t Make Mistakes” you might think it’s one of those overwrought, feel good songs about some special little child who overcomes horrible circumstances. Thankfully, it’s not. What this song is about is about loving yourself with all your flaws and the rationale behind this is that God doesn’t make mistakes. It’s a very nice little song with a great message in a world where girls are shown they should look like Britney Spears.
She has a lot of fun with the spirited song about falling in love “Head Over High Heels” that chugs along while fiddles dance above joyously. Every time I listen to this song I enjoy it more and more. 5/5 “My Little Secret” revisits having a crush on a guy who doesn’t know but it’s a lot more playful than the contemplative “Complicated” from her debut album. “Squeezin’ The Love Out of You” is a bluesy number that probably needs a little time more than any other track on the album. For me, this is one I had to let grow on me. It’s all about a lover who isn’t giving up the love, this song simmers and is filled with some country soul. 4/5
“Just Another Plane” and “I’ll Let You Go” or two beautiful ballads that finish out the album. “Just Another Plane” is about meeting a lover at the airport and it’s done in a very sincere way that really makes it a stand out on this album. 5/5 “I’ll Let You Go” is a bit of a tearjerker about a father/daughter relationship. Both of them express such genuine emotion and sentiment that you can’t help but feel connected to the songs.
Every song on this album is a well-written, well-performed song that is expressed by a dynamic singer. Ranging from flirty, to philosophical to sentimental Carolyn Dawn Johnson covers all the territory and she covers it well. I can’t imagine this album not being one of the best of the year.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.