Brooks amp Dunn - 1sAnd Then Some (30 tracks) +Album Reviews

Somewhat unnecessary compilation of admittedly-great songs

A. Gammill | West Point, MS United States | 09/09/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"While it's hard to find fault with a collection spanning 20 years of number one hits from country's premiere duo, I do have a few observations that you might want to consider before picking this one up.

Brooks & Dunn have announced that they're calling it quits in 2010. OK, fine, they've had a great run and they deserve to sit down now. But what will almost certainly be their final album release is just another hits collection with 2 new songs? They've only released 2 albums since 2004's The Greatest Hits Collection, Vol. 2, so it seems a bit premature to be releasing another one. If anything, maybe they should have waited until the end of their final tour to release a comprehensive "Best Of" set.

I've always found "Number 1" compilations a bit troubling, in general. Inevitably, there were those great songs that fell just short of the top spot. In this case, hardcore fans and even casual listeners will miss "You Can't Take the Honkytonk Out of the Girl," "Hard Workin' Man," "My Heart is Lost to You," "Missing You" and many other favorites. And the reverse is true as well: It's hard for me to believe lesser compositions like "Husbands and Wives" and "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You" charted higher than the songs listed above. And good intentions aside, I could go several years without hearing the massively-overplayed "Believe" again.

Yes, I'm nit-picking. And as a long-time fan who has bought every album these guys have released, I have that right. The whole thing just seems a bit thrown-together for the sake of promoting the group's breakup. Even the guys' long tradition of the fictional liner-note adventures of "Slim and Howdy" have been replaced by a short & sweet "Thanks for the past 20 years" sentiment.

If you ARE a hardcore fan, you'll no doubt be getting this for the 2 new songs. And they're just fine. "Indian Summer" is a pleasant mid-tempo number, while "Honky Tonk Stomp" (featuring ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons) is great rough-and-rowdy tune. Technically, there's THREE new songs if you consider that the Reba McEntire version of "Cowgirls Don't Cry" was not previously available on a B & D album. But for those of us who have all the albums already, #1'S AND THEN SOME is, sadly, largely unnecessary."

20 years have gone by so fast!

Thomas J. White | Breaux Bridge, LA | 09/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Getting this CD comes with both joy, and some sorrow, knowing they are breaking up! I first met Ronnie & Kix in Amarillo,TX, and went on to help sell their CDs at KMART, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Sam Goody, etc. From their first CD, hearing their music was always a joy. The songs on this CD will be songs I will play the rest of my life. There are ballads that make you think, and party songs that make you dance, what else can you ask for. I feel that Kix will enjoy making wine & don't be surprised if Ronnie has a great solo career. It's a great CD"

Could have been Great

music fan | 09/11/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"We have all heard most of this music and it is great, just not a third time. The three new songs are great (i include cowgirls don't cry as this is the only good version imop) the rest we now have for the third time. Had they dropped the #1 requirement and went with the "then some" we should have gotten the likes of Cowboy Town, Put a Girl in it, Building Bridges and Proud of the House we Built. Guess this is what we got. Do wish they were not splitting.

"

The Greatest Duo ... Ever!

David Jones | North Wales, United Kingdom | 11/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brooks & Dunn are not only the biggest-selling duo in the history of music - beating the likes of Hall & Oats, The Everly Brothers, and most particularly, Simon & Garfunkel - but are a country music institution. They churned out hit after hit throughout the 90s and 00s and after a career of some nearly twenty years, they have decided to bring their music partnership to a close.

The good news, however, is that we have this marvellous 2-CD retrospective to remember them for - not to mention the albums themselves. For new fans, this album would be a great starting point and a perfect introduction to Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks. Dunn takes the lion's share of the vocals, and with his beautifully soulful voice he is certainly one of the greatest vocalists of his generation - regardless of genre. Kix is a fine singer himself, and both artists expertly deal with ballads and rockers with skilful, consummate ease.

This collection features two brand new songs, including their fiftieth and final single, the rockin' "Honky Tonk Stomp" (the other being the ballad "Indian Summer"). In the early 90s, the duo might have been classified as honky tonk, but as their career progressed, they delved further into rock/pop territory, while still retaining some rough `n' read country in mix.

Ballads like "The Long Goodbye" (co-written by Ronan Keating, but released by B&D first) is a perfect example of the kind of ballads this duo have to offer, and the list of similar romantic ballads like "A Man This Lonely", "It's Getting Better All the Time", "I Am That Man" and "Neon Moon" are perfectly contrasted with raucous rockers such as "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)", "Play Something Country", "Only In America", "How Long Gone" and "Ain't Nothing `Bout You". Sometimes veering towards straight pop, but mainly keeping to big production rock, it can be surprising to realise that these are in fact country artists - such is Nashville these days - but for the more traditionally oriented country fan, there is plenty to like in the glorious fiddles of "Cowgirls Don't Cry (featuring Reba McEntire)" and the fine honky tonk of "Boot Scootin' Boogie", "My Next Broken Heart" and "Little Miss Honky Tonk".

Inspirational music also comes in the shape of "God Must Be Busy", and especially, "Believe" (so beautifully emotive it might just change your spiritual outlook). Also, the latin-flavoured "My Maria" is also a huge fan favourite.

Probably the best track here (in my opinion) is "Red Dirt Road". Not also is it a fun mid-tempo driving song, but the lyrics are also full of meaning and hugely accessible, as it details the road the narrator has driven down his entire life - the road he crashed his first car, met his wife, and found Jesus.

It's worth noting that most of these thirty songs were Numbers 1s in the Country charts - one of the toughest and most difficult charts to climb in any genre (it can take months to achieve a chart-topper on there). The duo's two Greatest Hits packages are also great buys too, but for someone looking to make a single purchase, this is the one to get. Happy listening."

American standard?

Ari Kurki | Evitskog, Finland | 10/09/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"First of all I have to confess that this is the very first time I heard about the dynamic duo and the first time I listened to their music. But now I have heard the records several times and dare to speak up.

With all due respect to their career and achievements I must say that I was not too impressed. In my ears the content was mostly standard average quite good country music with no special twist to make it personal. The voices vere nice but again the personality was missing.

I admit that my review is based solely on what I heard - I gave no bonus points for their long way here nor possible tv or other superior performances. Just what I heard.

Compared to e.g. Lucinda Williams, Tom Russell or John Fogerty this is a lame and colourless work of art. Can be listened to while driving and that's about it... but perhaps they are splendid performing live?"

Search - Brooks & Dunn :: #1's...And Then Some

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