Then & Now: The Hits Collection (CD - 2005)

Personnel: B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin (steel guitar, dobro); Aubrey Haynie (mandolin, fiddle); Mark Casstevens (harmonica); Tony Harrell, Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards); Glenn Worf, Mike Bringnardello (bass guitar); Eddie Bayers (drums); Curtis Wright, Curtis Young, John Wesley Ryles, Wes Hightower, Liana Mani (background vocals).

The title of Tracy Lawrence's 2005 album Then & Now: The Hits Collection suggests that it's a greatest hits album -- in fact, the sticker on the front cover bills the album as a "greatest hits" -- but that's a little misleading. Instead of being a compilation of original hit recordings, Then and Now finds Lawrence revisiting a selection of his biggest hits -- such as "Sticks and Stones," "Alibis," "Texas Tornado" and "Time Marches On" -- adding two new songs ("Used to the Pain" and the war-themed "If I Don't Make It Back") to the mix. These new versions are a little more laid-back than the originals, and they're a little slicker too. And while that doesn't necessarily suit Lawrence's voice, which has grown a little thinner over the years, that doesn't make Then and Now a bad listen. It's a mellow, mature, comfortable record that finds Lawrence in a warm, reflective mood, and if his fans share his mood, they should find this enjoyable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Although it may seem like a straightforward greatest-hits compilation, 2005's THEN AND NOW actually presents re-recorded versions of Tracy Lawrence's finest moments. These updated renditions reveal the sound of a country artist who has become wholly comfortable with his past recordings, if not his past. (Lawrence is renowned for his troubled personal history.) In addition to old favorites such as the laid-back "If the World Had a Front Porch" and the in-the-doghouse tune "My Second Home," this set features two new tunes--the emotional narrative "Used to the Pain" and the soldier's lament "If I Don't Make It Back"--making THEN AND NOW essential for any Lawrence fans. minimize