Vince Gill - Next Big Thing

Having earned respect for creating mainstream country that proudly maintains a deep vein of traditional elements, Vince Gill draws from a broader palette on this unusually lengthy offering of originals and collaborations. Honoring styles that inspired him, he zigzags from rockabilly (the opening title track) to the Beatle-esque ballad "Someday" (cowritten with Richard Marx) into unfettered traditionalism on the shuffle "Without You," the majestic "Two Hearts," and the Merle Haggard tribute "Real Mean Bottle." His philosophical "Young Man's Town" could easily be a commentary on today's Nashville. While he could have dropped a couple of the more-mundane numbers (especially the clichéd cantina ditty "We Had It All"), he projects the same clean consistency that's marked all his work. True, he takes few risks, but then the cutting edge was never his chosen place. And as the album's sole producer, he shows better sense than most current Nashville producers. Gill, the omnipresent guest harmony singer on so many others' records, used surprisingly few guests himself, which keeps the focus where it belongs. --Rich Kienzle Amazon.com

Can't go wrong with Vince!

The c.d is great! It came quickly thru the mail and I love it! Vince has such a gift and his voice is just pure sunshine for my soul.! Thank-you! May 5, 2008

Some songs are stellar and others are okay

That pretty much sums up The Next Big Thing. I think Vince could use an assistant producer in addition to himself because not all of his songs are 5 star like before when Tony Brown used to produce him. Vince Gill isn't a bad producer, but it is hard to remain objective when you are your own producer. This day in age, Pam Tillis has been the only country star to successfully produce her own music with brilliant results. I really like Whipporwill River, the title track and a Young Man's Town the best. I think 17 tracks is too much because I can think of some songs that could have either been trimmed off or be modified. But, I think that Vince has written some of the best songs of his career because they show newfound insight and maturity. As a young artist, I look up to that. April 29, 2004

BOY, HE GOT THAT RIGHT!

Vince Gill's title is perfect. This album is the NEXT BIG THING in a career that has been the consummate chart topper.

Gill's smooth-as-silk voice and dynamite talents on the guitar shine on my favorite tracks for this one including Next Big Thing, Don't Let Her Get Away, Whippoorwill River, From Where I Stand, and This Old Guitar And Me. But, hey, there's not a bad song on this one.

THE HORSEMAN     February 14, 2004

The Next BIG Thing!!

I switched to country music over 10 years ago because of Vince Gill and he sounds better than ever today!! This CD is terrific from start to finish - especially the pleasant surprise of ex-Doobie Michael McDonald's backup in "These Broken Hearts"!! Keep it coming, Vince, cause we'll always be ready for your next bigger thing!! January 24, 2004

STELLAR UPDATE

I will say something great about one song in this batch of new Gill recordings..."YOUNG MAN'S TOWN" has to be the ultimate 'followup' or sequel to the Eagles' "New Kid In Town" and it sounds like a lost gem that was misplaced from the "HOTEL CALIFORNIA" recording sessions, yet, Vince maintains his own identity throughout this great song. If you play "New Kid In Town" and "Young Man's Town" back to back, the music and lyrics from the two songs create a haunting atmosphere that places you somehwere between early 1977 and the present...scenes and visions of the past and present reeling before your eyes to the music. It's a great feeling. Though I do wonder and try to imagine the Eagles singing this new song, nobody but Vince Gill could perform this song so perfectly..."Hotel California" revisited, without the great Eagles. December 17, 2003

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