The title
song of Carolyn Dawn Johnson's second CD underscores
the tough truth that a dress rehearsal is exactly
what life isn't - that what we have instead is a
perpetually brand-new moment that you have a single
chance to make memorable.
That is Johnson's philosophy, and her new collection
illustrates it stunningly. In a genre whose history
is littered with disappointing second albums by
promising singer-songwriters overwhelmed by the
demands of stardom, Johnson has bested her acclaimed
first effort by a mile.
From the slightly bluegrassy first single "Simple
Life" and the wildly joyous "Head Over High
Heels" and "My Little Secret" to the
emotional message songs "We Talked" and
"I'll Let You Go" and the tradition-edged
"Die of a Broken Heart," Johnson displays her
proliferating singing and writing skills with a
power that transcends that of her widely-praised
debut album, Room with a View. And these
titles are barely half of the notables among a group
of songs written from eight years ago to virtually
yesterday. The intense "Squeezin' the Love Outta
You" and the plaintive "Just Another Plane"
are from Johnson's early days in Nashville, while
the sublime "Life as We Know It" (recorded
with Amy Grant) and the heady "He's Mine" are
lyrical snapshots of Johnson's life with husband
Matt Fisher, whom she married in the spring of 2003.
New also is "God Doesn't Make Mistakes," an
introspective personal examination that is
transferable, and inspirational, to anyone.
"I think it's a big growth from Room with a
View," Johnson says. "The sound is a
notch up, too. While the first record is a lot more
searching and hoping, with maybe more sadness, this
one is introspective in a different way, yet very
joyful. And I think I've learned more in the
studio. Dann (Huff) probably brought some things out
of me that I didn't quite know I had, but he
believed I did."
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