Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love

Trisha Yearwood offers up some memorable story songs on this follow-up to 2005's "Jasper County," infusing each tale with her pitch-perfect delivery. "Nothin' 'Bout Memphis" finds a guilt-ridden woman hiding a past romance from her current lover, while "Dreaming Fields" is an achingly beautiful reminiscence of a 1940's couple who lose the family farm.

A great collection of barn burning country rock and gorgeous ballads. Trisha ventures outside previous comfort zones with a novelty song (Cowboys Are My Weakness) and a celtic tinged story song (The Dreaming Fields) with great results. What holds the album together are the gorgeous vocals by Trisha- her strongest studio singing yet, and the high quality of the songs- especially the lyrics. A great ALBUM- from start to finish.

'Heaven' sent; Trisha Yearwood's voice carries straight to the heart on a nearly flawless CD BYLINE: PRESTON JONES, Star-Telegram staff writer SECTION: F; Pg. 3 In country music, more than other genres, artists are often called upon to interpret the work of others. Trisha Yearwood is among those who excel at wringing every last drop of emotion from third-party material that could otherwise feel bland. That Yearwood has one of modern music's most ingratiating instruments doesn't hurt, either. Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love, her first album of new material in 24 months, is a showcase for her warm, buoyant alto; the 13-track disc is split neatly between up-tempo, no-frills country-rockers and haunting ballads with an occasional burst of brassy attitude.

Heaven, Heartache and the Power ofLove's cohesion is also aided by the relative lack of duds -- Yearwood's discerning ear for compelling tracks means that misfires like Drown Meare infrequent. Rather, the album takes flight with songs like The Dreaming Fields, an absorbing sense memory that somehow evokes Terrence Malick's film Days of Heaven and simultaneously reveals Yearwood's debt to such predecessors as Linda Ronstadt.

Yearwood's 13th studio album glows with an easy charm.