Suzy Bogguss
Welcome back, Suzy! Actually, Ms. Bogguss wasn't all that far gone. She was off having a son, Ben, now 16 months, and tending (literally) her garden in the greater Nashville area, where she lives with her husband, songwriter Doug Crider. In 1994 she released a memorable duet album with Chet Atkins, but this is Bogguss's first full solo album in three years, so the question is: Did she lose anything during her semi-hiatus? The answer is an emphatic no. Bogguss sounds as bright and lively as ever, and her uncommonly thoughtful approach to country music seems unsullied.
For example, "She Said, He Heard," which Bogguss cowrote with Don Schlitz, is a clever take on the difficulty of communication: "He looked at her like she was speakin' Chinese with some of the letters left out/ Try as he may, he just didn't know what she was talking about."
Bogguss has said she wanted this to be a record to drive to, and the title track, which she wrote with Matraca Berg and Gary Harrison, is the ignition switch. It leads to quite a trip, winding up with "Far and Away," written by Bogguss and Crider, and focusing on a failed relationship. However else her maternity sabbatical may have changed her, it obviously didn't affect Bogguss's willingness to take on challenges or her ability to cope with them. (Capitol Nashville)
Your Reaction
