Usually when you see CDs being reviewed, they are the most recent ones released from an artist. This is fine and dandy, but not everyone has been a country music fan for years and years, and sometimes it's good to dig down into the archives of CDs of the past and let people know what an artist may have released five to ten years ago.

The CDs that I have reviewed here are favorites of mine from Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Martina McBride. I won't go on and on about each one, but give you a short taste of each, and if you haven't got the CD in your collection, perhaps you might want to buy a copy now.

Clint Black - No Time To Kill

In country music today, where most of what you hear on the radio leans more towards a pop sound than country, it's a pleasure to sit back and listen to something that is no-doubt-about-it, a country music album.

While Clint Black isn't one to have strayed far from a country sound in any of his releases, this one is country to the core.

The album was Clint's fourth release, and came out in 1993. It produced five singles with "No Time To Kill," "A Good Run Of Bad Luck," "State Of Mind," "Half The Man," and the duet with Wynonna, "A Bad Goodbye."

The songs that weren't released as singles are also very good. My favorite has to be the last song, "Tuckered Out," where Clint plays with words getting names of some of Nashville's most popular artists in the song. Very clever and fun to try to keep up with as it's a quick-paced romp.

I really don't think Clint has made a bad album, and this is definitely one of his best. Hope you agree.

Garth Brooks - No Fences

No Fences is my second favorite Garth Brooks album, just after In Pieces. The album came out in 1990, and had four singles, now five, if you count the updated version of "Wild Horses." The original singles were "The Thunder Rolls," "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House," "Friends in Low Places," and "Unanswered Prayers."

With singles like those, you'd hardly need any other reason to pick it up, but the rest of the album is hardly filler, with the heartbreaking "New Way To Fly," and catchy "Mr. Blue," to the haunting "Wolves," that cries "Oh Lord, keep me from bein' the one the wolves pull down."

This is Garth at his country best.

Faith Hill - Take Me As I Am

For those of you that are complaining about how "pop" Faith Hill is today, you need look no further than her debut album from 1993 to find that country girl again. This is my favorite Faith Hill album.

Along with the four singles that were released from this album, "Take Me As I Am," "Wild One," "But I Will," and Piece of my Heart, there are other great tunes, such as the touching duet with Larry Stewart, "I've Got This Friend," and the beautiful "I Would Be Stronger Than That."

Faith shows her emotions on the ballads and kicks butt on the upbeat tunes here. A must-have for new Faith fans to hear her country side.

Martina McBride - Wild Angels

With a voice like Martina McBride has, she could sing the alphabet song and it would sound good. While this album isn't chock full of hits like some of her more recent albums are, Martina gives it everything she's got, and more.

There were four singles released from this 1995 album. "Wild Angels," and "Safe in the Arms of Love," "Swingin' Doors," and "Cry On The Shoulder of the Road". The title cut became Martina's first #1 song.

One of my favorite's from this album is "Two More Bottles of Wine." And if you're compiling Martina's best ballads, you'd have to include "Born to Give My Love to You." Excellent song!

All in all, an album to include in your collection of country music.

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