I just received the new Mitch Malloy CD in the mail and have already given it a few spins on the CD player. So, I figured I would give my initial thoughts on the album.

From the very first track, "You Lift Me", you can hear the country influences all over. It is a straight forward country-rock type song. Mitch has managed to take his country experiences and mix them up with a bit of his debut.

That sets the tone for the rest of the album---ten songs that show Mitch has matured both as a songwriter and a musician. The production is better than average, the sound is tight, and Mitch is singing in top form. The album also features session legend Mike Brignardello (ex-Giant bass player who has appeared on nearly every country album released in the 90s) and the songwriting skills of Victoria Shaw, who has written hits for Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, and John Michael Montgomery. She wrote Montgomery's #1 song "I Love The Way You Love Me", later covered by Eric Martin for the Mad About You Soundtrack. Despite previous reports, AOR great Desmond Child is nowhere to be found on this record.

It doesn't really matter, though. I was expecting the songs to be more along the lines of "Anything At All", but this disc offers much more. Great uptempo songs such as "Love Made A Liar Out Of Me" and "When I Try" show Mitch has not lost his rock touch and the beautifully-penned ballad "Places Only Love Can Go" (written by Malloy and Shaw) will almost surely tug at your emotions in the best way.

Anyone who was hoping for a rehash of Mitch's debut will probably be a bit surprised by this release. Check out the soundbytes when Andrew puts them up and then place that order!

Robert