Collin Raye
parted ways with his longtime record label,
Epic
, after his 2001 album,
Can't Back Down
, and before he released a new album of original material, he decided to cut a live album for his first independent release since becoming a star. And that live release was part of
Smith Music Group
's successful
Live at Billy Bob's Texas
series, which recorded recent live concerts at the legendary Fort Worth venue and released them as tandem CD and DVD sets. Some of these
discs have represented career highlights --
David Allan Coe
's is tremendous, for instance -- while others are a little rote.
Raye
doesn't hit either extreme with his entry. The album simply captures
doing a highly professional, high-energy set of his hits. At first it's a little too high-energy, as he really pushes
"My Kind of Girl"
too hard to get the set off to an energetic start, but soon the music reaches an amiable equilibrium, balancing skillfully between sentimental
ballads
and friendly
honky tonkers
. While there's nothing surprising --
isn't suddenly revealed as a hardcore
country
purist -- it's a smooth and satisfying listen, a good first live effort, and a record that's sure to please longtime fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine