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Michael Peterson - Michael Peterson
Michael Peterson is a real country artist who came out straddling the fence of country and pop right at the time real country artists were fast disappearing from the radio. His high-energy top-selling, high-charting single "Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie" seemed sure to place him firmly in the
country music hierarchy. Still, there's a certain amount of compromise showing through on this album, lighthearted pop-country seemingly out of place on a hardcore country album, giving the whole a strangely disjointed feeling, particularly after leaving the upbeat bubblegum-flavored
second track, "Love's Great," and going into the third track, a steel-drenched mournful hardcore country weeper, "When the Bartender Cries."
But when Michael lets go, his stunning tenor absolutely true to every single shattering note, his talent is remarkably obvious. Also of note is his superb songwriting ability, which glitters on 10 of the 11 tracks, as he takes on both sides of the country fence with his numerous co-writing partners, passing from honky-tonk two-step on the Tritt duet, "I Finally Passed The Bar" to the wedding staple "power ballad" of "From Here To Eternity."
Michael Peterson's debut disc wanders somewhat from real country to pop as he meanders from one extreme to the other, but with his sparkling vocals and pleasant lyrics, it's certainly a good listen. With several radio staples from the late '90s, such as "Too Good To Be True" and "By The Book," it's accessible, "friendly" light country.
Review by: Kathy Coleman
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