Meredith Edwards - Reach (2001)

Usually when a young artist makes their way to the Country Music scene, their music is sprinkled with pop music undertones, but Meredith Edwards' debut album, "Reach," is not like that at all. She has the perfect voice for Country Music and I like the fact that she does not hide it from the listener.

The first video and single, "A Rose Is A Rose," is a beautiful song that really showcases Meredith's vocals. It does not matter where you lived (whether it was a bad neighborhood or what have you) or how much money you grew up with, a truly nice person can come from anywhere. The families wondered if the couple would last coming from such different paths but "No matter what, their love came shining through. Because a rose is a rose is a rose."

My favorite song off of the "Reach" album and also the second single is "The Bird Song." It is fun, up-tempo, and has catchy lyrics. Everyone at least once in their lifetime, wishes they could have the point of view of a bird so they could see all that goes on in the neighborhood or town. Because of this, the "people watching" bird decided that it would tell all of us what it is like. She sees various people: two boys down at the creek smoking their daddy's cigarette butts, and a man cussing at her because he just washed his car, "but I ain't done nothin' wrong, I'm just a bird singing my song." The bird likes to take a bath in Mrs. Cole's cement bowl but she always has to watch out for the cat "So I'll just stay up here until the coast is clear." The last verse in this colorful song is very cute and reminds us that whatever we do, somebody's looking over you.

Oh, isn't love "A Beautiful Mess" the next song asks as it chronicles the one-minute, one thing, next minute another situations of a person that has fallen in love. One minute she is flying around with happiness, the next minute she is falling hard. "It's all music, lights and color, a dance on a merry-go-round. An emotional rollercoaster."

The whole album is country, but "Slow Learner" is a very good, very country, honky tonk style song. It seems as though the girl is not going to realize that the object of her affection will never love her back, but finally she gets the clue.

Track List:

01. In Any Given Moment
02. A Rose Is A Rose
03. The Bird Song
04. Ready To Fall
05. A Beautiful Mess
06. You Get To Me
07. But I Can't Let You Go
08. Slow Learner
09. This Is The Heartache
10. Reach
11. You
12. Places In Your Heart

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