By Adam

I’ll admit it.  I’ve been waiting for a new Julie Roberts’ album for years and was excited to hear I would be able to purchase Julie’s new CD, “Alive”, at one of her shows during last week’s CMA Fest.  That’s exactly what I did.  I held my breath as I put the CD in the changer in my truck, hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed by the first new Julie Roberts’ album since “Men and Mascara” came out about five years ago.

After listening to the CD a few times, it’s plain to see that Julie’s strenghts lie in singing mid-tempo songs and slower ballads.  Her bluesy, soulful voice shines in the track “Let’s Fight”, a song about injecting some passion back into a relationship where her man doesn’t notice her anymore, even when she tries “dancing naked” and enticing her lover to be “anything but nice.”  If it’s released as a single, this video will be a scorcher.

Another highlight is the song, “Stronger”, where Julie sings of the trials in life that make her stronger and where she finds her ultimate strength – her faith in God.

Even though the song “Carolina From My Soul” is about physically leaving Carolina but always having a piece of Carolina within her, it’s easy enough to plug in any state you hold dear.  Julie sings it beautifully.

“Whiskey And You” is a song that Tim McGraw recorded for his “Let It Go” album, but Julie has no problem making the song hers.  The emotion she brings to the song from the standpoint of a woman comparing her man to whiskey, but not clearly defining which is which, is brilliant.

“One For The Road” is a great song about getting together one more time with a lover before calling it quits, and “Yesterday’s Blue” looks back at a failed relationship.  Both songs are well-written and Julie sounds superb.

The inclusion of “NASCAR Party” on the album seems out of place, but it was most likely included to bring Julie’s name back into the public eye through airplay during NASCAR television promo and highlight packages.

This independently released CD is a strong effort overall, and I would not be surprised to see it end up on some critic’s best of 2011 list.

Welcome back, Julie!