When he's not trying to be
Roy Orbison (as he did on 1990's
RVS 3), it's easy to see that
Van Shelton's a fine singer. And this is a fine record -- so fine it's tempting to hunt for signs of listener manipulation. But
Van Shelton balances the self-pity of songs like "After the Lights Go Out" with the uptempo punch of stuff like "Call Me Up." So even though
Van Shelton recycles "Rockin' Years," the duet from
Dolly Parton's Eagle When She Flies, just call it good taste, sit back, and enjoy. ~ Brian Mansfield