It isn't very often that I give an album the "It" rating. That grade is reserved for the Top of the Pops, a record that can be organized among the Chosen Few. Those who think all critics only reward revolutionary artistic pieces with such an accolade are wrong. While I can't make the case for other reviewers, a "perfect" album is merely one that doesn't stumble on its way to greatness, achieving whatever goals it may have.
The trio of TrueHeart (http://www.trueheartexas.com)- all siblings, by the way - must have been straight A students back in the day because everything on their new self-titled CD is produced to the highest order: the deluxe packaging of the CD, the untainted studio gloss, the flawless singing, the crystalline instrumentation, the delicious melodism of the pop hooks. It's a beauty from beginning to end, front to back, top to bottom.
TrueHeart offers retro rock of a different kind than the '80s revival which has grown in popularity lately. This is soft rock for baby boomers, reminiscent of America, Bread, and even Jackson Browne. "Ain't Life Great" introduces listeners to the sumptuous harmonies of Karen V. Cavazos, Ross Vick, and Patrick Vick; sounding like Fleetwood Mac without the acidic lyrics, "Ain't Life Great" is a glorious burst of sunshine.
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Of the three classic-rock covers, their version of Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light" works the most effectively, making the original even more transcendent with its speaker-filling and absolutely soothing vocal work. But their original material stands on its own against the proven oldies, especially the utterly charming "Tripped Up," the jangly "Right Words," and "Take Life," which is as dreamy and wind-swept as Classic IV's "Spooky."
This is an LP that baby boomers have been aching for, an album that hits the pop highs of the Beatles without sounding archaic. It deserves every star I'm giving it.
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