It's an exciting week around CSO as we add another writer to our wonderful stable of contributing journalists, please make welcome Jim Moulton! 
-Ed

Julie Roberts - Debut CD
Mercury Nashville Records
Album Review by Jim Moulton  

Brent Rowan and Julie Roberts have put together a real country, country rock gem. Rowan, who produced the album and also plays electric guitar has been one of Nashville's best studio guitarists for years. A couple of years ago, Julie was in the record company's office working, a friend slipped a demo to Rowan, who
believed in her.

Roberts has a real country voice with some bluesy attributes, reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt and Norah Jones. This recording is sparse for a Nashville release. (No Strings!!) Brent does a great job of producing some very fine material. Julie's vocals are the focus with Brent playing electric guitar and ace acoustic guitarist Bryan Sutton playing acoustic. David Hungate does a great job on bass while Shannon Forrest drives the music with great drum work. Some innovative keyboards by Gordon Mote. The mix is just about as perfect as you can get, everything you can hear just where it's supposed to be. Add Doug Sax's mastering and you have a very high quality recording. Roberts really puts herself into the music and the result is an original sounding, creative piece of work.

The album starts out with the very country "You Ain't Down Home" which is an upbeat song, talking about someone who has everything, but he just ain't down home. "The Chance" is a beauty of a slow song with some great lyrics and great back up vocals by Vince Gill. "Pot Of Gold" is an excellent upbeat tune with a Cajun touch and a very Allmanesque guitar break by Rowan. "Just Cause We Can" is a song with percolating rhythms and just gets you moving, really good upbeat song. "Unlove Me" is a great mid tempo country ballad again with Vince Gill and some great pedal steel by Al Perkins.

This gal has a powerful voice. This album really surprised me, I was expecting Nashville pop, but got a very eclectic masterpiece. Not a bad track here, easily one of the best CDs that I have heard this year. 

Rating: BUY IT!

Julie Roberts - Debut CD track list: 

Website Review by Jim Weaver: 
Beautiful site to go with a beautiful young singer. It does have a couple of drawbacks though, lots of FLASH and it's a Singing Site, that music is going to play when you open it whether you're ready for it or not (you can turn it off). Other than that it's a pretty darn good website. It could use more pictures, in concert and with fans although some of that may be available on her Fan Club site. Go see for yourself right now... www.JulieRoberts.com.

Rating:   Looks Good!!

Fan Rating: