Aaron Tippin knows what the country fans want!

My first listen to this album, I knew I had to spread the word. This CD is, ladies and gentlemen, a collection of superb country music from one of the guys that does it best!

I've been a Tippin fan since "Kiss This" came out. Since then, I've discovered that this guy has a rare gift--he can write and sing songs that are about, by, and for, the ordinary middle-class people. This album is a prime example of Tippin's skills.

You won't find "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly," nor "Kiss This." But you WILL find "You've Got to Stand for Something" and "I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way," songs that still make you jump to your feet and pump your fists. You'll get "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With the Radio", one of the chessiest and yet best songs of the nineties. "My Blue Angel", "That's As Close As I'll Get to Lovin' You," and the steller "You Are The Woman" have Tippin giving a powerful, heart-tugging performance. "Working Man's Ph.D.," "The Call of the Wild," "Ain't That a Hell of a Note," "Many, Many, Many Beers Ago," and "When Country Took the Throne" feature some rockin' good times. The rest of the songs fall in between.

Really, I don't think there's a bad song on here. This is traditional country with a rock edge; this is Aaron Tippin. Is he really worth of the "legend" status? Take a listen to this CD, folks...and then you tell me.

Similar in quality and lineup to Greatest Hits and then some

Aaron Tippin is hard-core country. His raw, ear-jarring twang often sounds like a howling coyote. Yet Tippin has found a successful niche in country music by consistently relating to working class values on his best singles (most of which he also wrote). All of those very best cuts are found on this collection - along with a few also-rans.

"Working Man's Ph.D." and "I Got It Honest" take a proud stance on manual labor. "You've Got To Stand For Something" and "I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way" celebrate sticking to one's beliefs and doing the right thing no matter where you come from. Tippin also appeals to his less-than -wealthy core audience through humor on "There Ain't Nothing Wrong With The Radio". This novelty number depicts the car from hell which an upbeat Tippin won't unload, due to its lone remaining sonic asset.

Tippin even fits some romantic songs into his repertoire (usually of the unsuccessful at love type). The honky tonkin' "My Blue Angel" finds Tippin yodelling about a lost love he's still searching for, while in the straight forward ballad That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You," he pines for a girl he can never have. When Tippin does finally get the girl in a song, it turns out...he has to answer "The Call Of The Wild."

You won't find a lot of emotional depth on this collection. Tippin seeks foremost to entertain his listeners and, within the confines of his working man persona, he usually succeeds. If you are in the mood for some country music that's festive and you don't mind a lotta twang, give this set a try.

Traditional blue collar country - nineties style

Although I was aware of Aaron's early nineties music, I only really became interested after buying his Christmas album (A December to remember). This collection looks back at his RCA years from 1990 to 1995, though the title doesn't really fit. I don't think any but his staunchest fans would consider him to be a legend, but he made (and continues to make) great traditional country music. There have been several compilations of Aaron's music and some of the tracks appear more frequently than others.

His best songs during his time at RCA were You've got to stand for something (which wasn't written about the Gulf War but fitted the mood of the time) and his two #1 hits from the period, There ain't nothing on but the radio and That's as close as I'll get to loving you. Of course, his biggest hit of all - another #1 - was Where the stars and stripes and the eagles fly (another patriotic song) but it came long after he left RCA, so you won't find it here.

Aaron sounds very much like an old-style bar-room singer, although he has more talent than you'll find in an average honky tonk. He does not have the greatest voice, but it's good enough for what he does and he knows how to make the most of it. His music is raw and uncompromising country and very enjoyable in it's way - and he writes great songs, so he could always make a career out of writing if all else fails.