Sounding remarkably like Patsy Cline, LeAnn Rimes's voice slices into each song like a hot knife through butter. At the age of 13, Rimes became country's brightest new star upon the release of this impressive debut. Her balanced blend of traditional and new country owes as much to Cline as it does 1990s' style. "Cattle Call," a duet with the legendary Eddy Arnold, is just one of the many highlights on this album. Attention is focused on Rimes's distinctive booming vocals, as opposed to some snappy chops--musically, it all sounds familiar, like you have heard this before. Still, there are moments where you feel this could not be the voice of a child. As she matures, so will her feelings and presumably her songs. --Paula Ghergia
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