Mark Wills Albums (8)
'Familiar Stranger'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 12
Label AGR Television
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Live at Billy Bob's Texas'
Release Date 6/28/2005
Tracks 16
Label Smith Music Group
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
One of several castaways from the moribund "hat act" scene of mid-'90s Nashville to find himself on this small country indie label, Mark Wills starts his post majors career with a no-frills live album that perhaps unintentionally shows exactly what went wrong with mainstream country music at the end of the millennium. There's more audible enthusiasm in Wills' vocals in the first minute of the wry opener "And the Crowd Goes Wild" than there was on the entire album of the same name that was Wills' Mercury swan song. Similarly, the arrangements are fundamentally the same as they were on Wills' earlier albums, with lots of rocking rhythm guitar lines underneath the twangy country leads, but unlike the pristine separation of the ultra-clean studio records, there are some rough edges. (The drummer's not playing to a click track, either, which helps a ton right there.) Wills is an affable Everyman of a singer with a little Alan Jackson in his vocal style, and his songs rarely rise above "catchy and hummable," so he was never going to be a country superstar on the Garth Brooks level, but this thoroughly enjoyable live record shows that he's a much more entertaining act than his previous albums had revealed. That's not his fault; it's the fault of the label folks who tend to stifle their artists into cookie-cutter conformity. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
'And the Crowd Goes Wild'
Release Date 10/21/2003
Tracks 11
Label Mercury
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Putting forth an impressive effort to dispel the myth that he is "the sad guy," And the Crowd Goes Wild is a collection of enjoyable songs that let us know that maybe Wills does have something to smile about. The title track is a get-out-of-your-seat rocker that's bound to inspire; "He's a Cowboy" is a toe-tapper about fun-loving cowboys; "Married in Mexico" is a bouncy song about a proposal, to name a few. But lest we forget, there are several ballads on the album that remind us why we first fell in love with Wills' warm baritone wrapped around a sad story-song. "What Hurts the Most" is an ode to a failed relationship. "I Just Close My Eyes" is about the pain of a long-distance relationship. And deserving an honorable mention is "Prisoner of the Highway," a duet with one of Wills' heroes, Ronnie Milsap, on Milsap's 1984 hit. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia, All Music Guide
'Loving Every Minute'
Release Date 8/21/2001
Tracks 12
Label Mercury Nashville
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Album number four continues the Wills tradition of telling a story with his voice. He clearly possesses a natural ability to hone his vocal stylings to narrate songs that listeners can identify with because they are about real feelings. Like wanting to leave a small town or a dead-end job in "One of These Days," or hating a place because your ex moved there with a new squeeze in "I Hate Chicago," or wondering if you'll ever meet someone to spend your life with in "Somebody." There are the standard you-take-my-breath-away love ballads, as well as the grand tear-jerker "The Balloon Song," which is about a boy who misses his mother who has passed away. Loving Every Minute is different in that it fuses some pop production touches, not normally typical for Wills, with his earthy country vocals, but in a career of chart-topping singles and platinum status, it certainly has the same fate. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With a reputation for music and songs that speak to people's hearts, Mark Wills' Permanently doesn't disappoint. With songs like "In My Arms" about being a dad to a brand-new baby daughter (a tribute to his little girl) and "Rich Man" about being rich in love, Wills' has a penchant for appealing to fans' sensitive sides. But whether he's singing about love, loss, fear, joy, or hope, Wills delivers a rock-solid third album with ease and confidence. No doubt that comes from working with producer Carson Chamberlain for the third time and singing about the things he knows best. Mixing things up just a bit, Wills recorded "Almost Doesn't Count," a song made popular by pop star Brandy, with his very own brand of soulful country. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wish You Were Here isn't quite as consistently engaging as Mark Wills' eponymous debut, yet the very best moments, such as the ballad "I Do (Cherish You)," offer proof that he's a fine, nuanced singer capable of great things. He achieves great things only occasionally here, but that's often enough to make it a successful second album from this young vocalist. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
