Collin Raye Albums (13)
'Live at Billy Bob's Texas'
Release Date 8/31/2004
Tracks 17
Label Smith Music Group
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Collin Raye parted ways with his longtime record label, Epic, after his 2001 album, Can't Back Down, and before he released a new album of original material, he decided to cut a live album for his first independent release since becoming a star. And that live release was part of Smith Music Group's successful Live at Billy Bob's Texas series, which recorded recent live concerts at the legendary Fort Worth venue and released them as tandem CD and DVD sets. Some of these Live at Billy Bob's Texas discs have represented career highlights -- David Allan Coe's is tremendous, for instance -- while others are a little rote. Raye doesn't hit either extreme with his entry. The album simply captures Raye doing a highly professional, high-energy set of his hits. At first it's a little too high-energy, as he really pushes "My Kind of Girl" too hard to get the set off to an energetic start, but soon the music reaches an amiable equilibrium, balancing skillfully between sentimental ballads and friendly honky tonkers. While there's nothing surprising -- Raye isn't suddenly revealed as a hardcore country purist -- it's a smooth and satisfying listen, a good first live effort, and a record that's sure to please longtime fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Since his debut on the charts with 1991's "Love, Me," Raye founded his career with songs that blend social issues with sentiment. Can't Back Down is in much the same vein, alternating between broken hearts and perseverance. In this visceral collection, fans will find such timely songs as "Ain't Nobody Gonna Take That From Me," about holding memories, pride, and feelings deep inside our hearts, and "What I Need," about a man who prays for strength, courage, and faith, but gets them by overcoming pain, fear, and emptiness. The tenor vocalist also includes some rhythmic grooves and country rockers on this fluctuating album. "Gypsy Honeymoon" is reminiscent of "I Think About You," and "Young as We're Ever Gonna Be" is an ode to the fountain of youth. Fans will come to love and appreciate this eighth album, co-produced by James Stroud and Raye himself. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Collin Raye's sixth conventional album continued his mainstream country-pop approach. "I Couldn't Last a Moment," which was on its way to the country Top Ten as the album was released, was a song of romantic regret that was typical of the album as a whole. The music sounded about as country as the Eagles, no more, no less, and Raye himself could have been mistaken for Don Henley in one of his smoother moments. "A Long Way to Go" was another song in which a man confessed his unhappiness at a romantic breakup, while several others expressed romantic devotion; "Landing in Love" concerned new love; "She's All That" was a romantic fantasy full of exaggerated praise of a woman. Taken together, you'd have to say that this was an album of songs aimed at pleasing Raye's female constituency, especially when you added in "Harder Cards," a story song about a patrolman who aids a victim of domestic violence by making her murder of her husband look like suicide, and "She's Gonna Fly," about an aging mother. Raye included the usual number of ballads, varying the formula now and then with an uptempo change of pace such as "A Long Way to Go." "Loving This Way," a breakup duet with Bobbie Eakes, also added diversity. Raye sang earnestly, as usual, but the material, while consistent, never rose above typical Nashville fodder, which kept the album from being anything more than another Collin Raye record, much like his others. Fortunately, that was all anybody expected from him. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Collin Raye waited three years to deliver an official studio follow-up to his hit 1995 album I Think About You. That record was dominated by ballads, as is its successor, The Walls Came Down. Certainly, Raye's smooth country tenor is ideal for country-pop ballads like "In This Life," but he runs the risk of sounding a little too samey, which is what happens on The Walls Came Down. There are a number of very good songs here, including the ballad "I Can Still Feel You," but since the record offers no surprises, it winds up sounding a little like a holding pattern instead of a step forward, even with bold message songs like the anti-child abuse "The Eleventh Commandment" -- and after three years out of commission, it isn't unreasonable to expect a move forward. Nevertheless, the album is impeccably crafted and Raye's voice sounds as rich and smooth as ever, which makes The Walls Came Down a solid record, especially for fans. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After attempting a somewhat rougher approach with Extremes, Collin Raye returned to his smooth ballad stylings on I Think About You. Though he still sings the occasional honky tonk raver, the high points on his fourth album come when he slows the pace down. I Think About You does suffer from a few bland tracks, but the album does demonstrate why Raye was one of the most popular country singers of the mid-'90s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
