| The come-from-nowhere success of Shania Twain's previous album, The Woman In Me, proved that the world was ready for a combination of traditional instruments, girl-power themes and dance-pop dynamics. Whether Twain is a modern-day Dolly Parton or a country music Spice Girl is a matter of perspective; with her third album, she accentuates the sing-along choruses and simple dance rhythms while downplaying the country elements. As a pop move, it works wonderfully for her, earning Twain a valued spot on MTV, VH-1 and pop radio. The emphasis is on fun rather than depth, of course, but no one can accuse her of being stingy: She and her Svengali-like producer/husband, slick-rock king Robert "Mutt" Lange (Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, AC/DC) load down the album with 16 songs, all of them quite radio-friendly. --Michael McCall |
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