Cry (CD - 2002)

percussion, background vocals); Tim Pierce (acoustic & electric guitars); Dean Parks (acoustic guitar); Michael Landau, Bryan Gallimore (electric guitar, background vocals); Suzie Katayama (violin); Jim Cox (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); Paul Bushnell. Leland Sklar (bass); Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Bekka Bramlet (tambourine, background vocals); Eric Carter, Frank Macek (programming); Erik Lutkins (loops); Doug Moffet, Lisa Gregg, Lisa Cochran, Crystal Taliefero, Chris Rodriguez (background vocals).

Producers: Byron Gallimore, Dann Huff, Marti Frederiksen.

CRY was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album. "Cry" won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Listening to the opening track "Free" on Faith Hill's CRY, one might be momentarily thrown; is this the Nashville country-pop siren we've come to know, or has the new Christina Aguilera album been mistakenly packaged in this jewel case? Come to think of it, the album cover might prompt the same question. While the electronic, pumping dance-pop rhythms of "Free" are far from what we think of as the Nashville sound, even in the 21st century, expectations are put back on track with the next track. The title song is closer to the Garth Brooks-meets-Pat Benatar power ballad sound commonly associated with Hill. The rest of the album walks a tightrope between the two styles, darting back and forth on either side. While the likes of "Stronger" and "You're Still Here" are ballads close to Hill's country-pop beginnings, many other tracks here utilize ultra-contemporary dance-pop production techniques in a seeming attempt to push Hill to maturing Britney-lovers. Since Hill has never exactly been what anyone would call "rootsy," this shift in stylistic emphasis is not too tumultuous, and is unlikely to disturb her (huge) hardcore fanbase. minimize