Sara Evans Restless CD

While Sara Evans hasn't assimilated the rock-pop influence into her contemporary country sound to the same bold degree as someone like Shania Twain, she's certainly informed by those sensibilities. There are plenty of rootsy touches to the arrangements here to remind us that this is Nashville, not Hollywood, but the predominance of power ballads and the quality of Evans's big, belting voice suggest what might have happened if Pat Benatar had been a country girl. One can't help wondering, for instance, how conscious the lyrical nod to the Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man" might be in Evans's "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus." And once you've sunk your teeth into a big, juicy Diane Warren torch song like the epic production "Need to Be Next to You," you're on your way to pop divahood whether you like it or not.

Principally recorded at The Money Pit, Nashville, Tennessee.

Personnel: Sara Evans (background vocals); Paul Worley (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); James Darrell Scott (acoustic guitar, dobro, bouzouki, mandolin); Marcus Hummon (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Jerry McPherson, Troy Lancaster, J.T. Corenflos (electric guitar); Gary Morse (steel guitar, dobro); Bryan Sutton (banjo, mandolin); Jonathan Yudkin (celtic harp, cello); Aubrey Haynie (fiddle); Nashville String Machine (strings); John Mock (pennywhistle, concertina); Jim Horn, Barry Green, Mike Haynes (horns); Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards); John Hobbs (keyboards); Matt Chamberlain (drums); David Lyndon Huff (shaker, percussion, drum programming); Eric Darken (percussion, drum programming); Tom Roady, Glen Caruba (percussion); Ashley Evans Simpson, Ashlie Tucker, Adie Grey, Troy Johnson , Vicki Hampton, Vince Gill, Wes Hightower, Kim Fleming, Bob Bailey (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Clarke Schleicher.

Recording information: LOUD Recording; Money Pit, Nashville, TN; paragon Studios.

Personnel: Sara Evans (vocals); Marcus Hummon, Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); J.T. Corenflos, Troy Lancaster (electric guitar); Gary Morse (steel guitar, dobro); Bryan Sutton (banjo); John Mock (penny whistle); Peter Kevin Fisher (harmonica); Timothy Lauer (accordion); Barry Green, Mike Haynes (horns); Steve Nathan (piano); John Hobbs (Hammond B-3 organ); Michael Rhodes, Glenn Worf (bass); Matt Chamberlain (drums); David Huff (shakers, percussion, programming); Eric Darken (percussion, programming); Vince Gill, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Entertainment Weekly (9/26/03, p.94) - "...Evans has solid taste in balladry and a warm, welcoming voice you could just about fall into..." - Rating: B+