Bryan White - Greatest Hits
Oklahoma-born Bryan White signed his first major recording contract in 1993 at the age of 19. The epitome of young country, White, with an angel's face and a voice to match, was raised on both country and rock, and saw no problem labeling himself as one genre while performing primarily the other. His forte is upbeat, bouncy pop--mostly positive songs about love and all its possibilities. As thisGreatest Hitspackage shows, he can get downright icky on such sentimental efforts as "From This Moment On," his Mutt Lange-produced duet withShania Twain, and on "Rebecca Lynn," the very sort of romantic fantasy that endears him to the prepubescent female set. But his elastic tenor and emotional targeting prove effective on such energetic tunes as "Love Is the Right Place" and the more reflective "How Long," one of two new tracks here. This collection finds him at a crossroads--whether to mature into a balladeer of substance or to continue with the lightweight fare that made him a welcome radio act. "The Way You Look at Me," the second new cut, suggests he's seen the light. Good boy, Bryan. We've all gotta grow up sometime.--Alanna Nash