Ok, I have several things to confess: 1.) I am not a fan of country music; my preference and expertise lies in the rap/hip-hop genre, 2.) This is my only exposure to Shania Twain.
Maybe you're thinking that this doesn't make me a very qualified album critic, but wait! If I, a hardcore hip-hop fan who has a tendency to bash disgustingly successful (disgusting because they don't deserve anywhere near half the attention [and money] they're getting) pop artists like Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, am willing to admit that this album has won me over, then there has to be something of significance going on. As for the second limitation, I suppose it prevents me from comparing this album to her previous ones. However, it also allows me to review the album more objectively, without being influenced by Shania's previous success.
When I listen to an album, I don't like skipping tracks. The stereo is too far from my bed (too far meaning not within arm's reach). When I'm listening to an album on the go, my discman is usually tucked away in a backpack or jacket pocket. The only button I want to press is the off button when I get to my destination. Luckily with "Come On Over" I don't have to worry about any of that nonsense. It is a great listen straight through. The weakest tracks are at the end, but that still means more than 45 continuous minutes of good music, which is more than what you get in many albums. The songs are memorable and easy to sing along to.
I've always been a sucker for wordplay, so I immediately took a liking to the first track, "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!" The song makes you want to get up and dance. I feel liberated and I'm a, um, man. As a fan of hip-hop I appreciate good rhymes and Shania, who writes her songs along with husband and producer John "Mutt" Lange, manages to cook up some good ones (though, like almost all pop artists [I'll get to that topic later], there are plenty of stale, overused ones too. After all, it ain't hip-hop). Her first verse of "I'm Holdin' On To Love (To Save My Life)" goes:

I don't need a shrink to tell me what to think
There ain't no missing link in my love life
It's alright, I ain't that uptight
I don't need a psychic 'cause I don't really like it
When someone tries to tell me just what my future holds
I already know

The third track, "Love Gets Me Every Time" is one of my favorites and one of the few tracks that have a little of that "country" feel. But then again, I might think that any song with a fiddle and "country phrases" like "gone and done it" has a country feel. Anyway, the next song "Dont Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)" seems to be the perfect song to put right after (hey, what can I say, I like fiddles). "From This Moment On" and "You're Still The One" are perhaps the two singles that played the biggest part in getting sales for this album to skyrocket. Kind of ironic, then, how they are the least "country-like" songs on the album. But put that aside and you have two good ballads perfect for setting that lovey-dovey mood. Track 6, "Come On Over", is not a stellar song, but at this point, you're thinking, "Wow, Shania Twain is REALLY good" so does it really matter? Besides, I can't stop tapping my feet to that song. Shania has a great voice and she proves it on another of my favorites, "When". The bridge and chorus sound so great that you forget that the song is quite pessimistic. The next song, called "Whatever You Do! Don't!" is not as memorable compared to the previous uptempo songs. But I really like it because the lyrics totally work for me. She totally describes exactly how I feel when I'm head over heels over someone. For example:

You got my heart under attack
You give me shivers down my back
D'ya have to walk the way you do?
I get weak just watchin' you

I feel ya, Shania.
Shania tries to give guys some tips on being more successful in relationships in her next song, "If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!" Personally, I already know and abide by all this, but I guess some guys need the heads-up. I don't feel there's anything very outstanding about this song...pretty average. Oh and more ideas on how to treat a woman right on "Honey, I'm Home". I like this one better because it creatively switches gender roles. For example, it's Shania, not her husband, that's coming home from a hard day's work and demanding dinner. I like this album because it also gives us a peek into Shania's personality. "Honey, I'm Home" and the next track "That Don't Impress Me Much" are good examples of this. The latter track totally grows on you. I don't want to say anything more, just listen to it.
Twain gets serious on "Black Eyes, Blue Tears", a song about breaking free from domestic violence. Now for the tracks that I don't really like: "I Won't Leave You Lonely" is boring, "Rock This Country!" is surprisingly sleepy considering it's title, and "You've Got A Way" does not strike me as very original. I also have a grievance about this album overall and I'm sure many will agree with me: It's not very "country". Most likely, this is intentional, giving the album crossover appeal and boosting sales. However, I would guess that serious country fans may be outraged and/or disappointed. The thing is, though, I've been noticing that Shania Twain's not the only one doing this. I don't even think there's a country section in some music stores nowadays; the "Pop/Rock" section assimilated it. Okay then, so let's evaluate the album on how good the music is, not whether it's more like "country" or more like "pop". Thinking this way, I doubt that many will disagree with me when I say that this is a great album. My actual rating is four and a half stars, but I'm in a good mood tonight so I'll round up. =)

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving