Background:
It’s been five years since Shania Twain released her last album “Come on Over.” What that album did was establish Shania as a worldwide star. The RIAA has certified it at 19 million albums sold as of March 2002. The rest of the world has bought an additional 16 million copies making the album the biggest selling album by a female artist in history.

So how do you follow up an album as popular as “Come on Over” was? Shania Twain decided to release a 19 track album. She has said that she likes to record in many different styles and tones of music so to make her fans around the world happy, she recorded not one or two but three versions of her new record “Up!.”

For the United States and Canada, Shania is releasing a double CD featuring the “pop” (RED)and “country” (Green) CDs. The rest of the world will receive the “pop” and “world” (Blue)music versions. Ambitious as it is, at least she’s trying to please her fans. Last time around, if you wanted the pop versions (there’s no remixes), you had to buy the other CD. On this front, no matter if you’re a pop or country or world music fan, at least you won’t buy the “wrong” album.

Songs
1. Up!
2. I’m Gonna Getcha Good!
3. She’s Not Just A Pretty Face
4. Juanita
5. Forever And For Always
6. Ain’t No Particular Way
7. It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing
8. Nah!
9. (Wanna Get To Know You) That Good!
10. C’est La Vie
11. I’m Jealous
12. Ka-Ching!
13. Thank You Baby! (For Making Someday Come So Soon)
14. Waiter! Bring Me Some Water!
15. What A Way To Wanna Be!
16. I Ain’t Goin’ Down
17. I’m Not In The Mood (To Say No)!
18. In My Car (I’ll Be The Driver)!
19. When You Kiss Me

All Songs written by Shania Twain and R.J. "Mutt" Lange
Produced by: R.J. "Mutt" Lange.

Review (Both versions)

Up! is a cute way to start off the album. The pop version is full of some catchy guitar work, albeit a tad 1980's nostalgic, while the country version is full of fiddle as one might expect on a Shania CD. the lyric content is about being able to rise up even when the "fit has hit the shan."


I'm Gonna Getcha Good! is the first single. The versions are very similar yet the "red" mix seems to fit the tone of the lyrics better than the "green" mix. That being said, after a while off, this was a wise first single choice.

Shania has been accused of being more fluff than substance by critics and while she’ll partially admit to that fact, Shania is by no means afraid to write or sing a song that isn’t empowering. Songs like the great She’s Not Just A Pretty Face say that behind the sass and prettiness is a woman of substance. I believe that this song will be a huge hit around the world and be perhaps one of the biggest hits of 2003. The country mix suits this song better than the pop.

Ain't No Particular Way basically sounds the same on both versions. In fact, it has a kinship sonically to anything off of Faith Hill's Cry album. Shania's lyrics say there's no way to hide from her love.

It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing is an aching ballad that again works better as a pop song. It's not that the country version is band it's just that Mutt's pop mix fits the lyrics better. This could be a huge pop/ac hit.

Nah! is given an arena rock treatment on the pop version while being mixed very much like the previous album's best tracks on the country version. Lyrically this song is pure ear candy. I believe this will be the multi-format smash that many of these songs will invariably try to be.

(Wanna Get To Know You) That Good! works well on both mixes. They both have outstanding bass lines and the lyrics are sweet about wanting to know everything about that special someone.

C'est La Vie is a trite song. The lyrics are horrid and gasp the chorus rips off ABBA's Dancing Queen. The sound is totally 70's disco-pop. Sure, this'll probably be a big hit in Europe, but God, I hope it never gets on radio in the USA.

I'm Jealous is a nice song on both mixes. I actually prefer the pop version with its great Hornsby-ish piano textures. Actually, lyrically the song is a bit like a song he'd have recorded.

Cheesy title aside, Ka-Ching! somehow works on the pop CD. The lyrics are way to ambitious for most country songs and they lend to the mix which appears on this pop version. The lyrics are about the way most of the westernized world likes to spend, spend, and spend.

What a Way to Wanna Be is a song that again picks on societal ills. only this time, she's talking about the way women think they need to always look "perfect." and she says that they need to not. Both versions work well.

While I Ain't Goin' Down works very well as a country song, with it's strong country lyrics, I doubt that it'll be a huge pop hit. The song just doesn't sound as good as a pop song as it does as a country song. There's a Dottie West style to it that necessitates its country leaning vocal and lyrical style.

When You Kiss Me is this album's version of Your Still The One. The country version is nice but the pop version is better. The Spanish styled guitar mixed with a nice ballad backbeat makes this song a sure AC smash hit.

Final Analysis:

Shania Twain is showing to her fans that she wants to please all types. That's an ambitious thing, and I am glad she decided to do so. I never bought her pop version of "Come On Over" for I liked the Country version. Here I have both without buying another copy. After hearing Shania's successful results, I wonder if Faith Hill might be thinking about re-releasing "Cry" the same way. She's already re-recorded her singles for Country so can a CD be far off?

Shania Twain's CD is one that every pop and modern country fan can find something to like and it’s much better than Come On Over ever was.

Great Music to Play While: Deciding which part of your schizophrenic brain wants to be pleased today.


Recommended: Yes

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