Followin' A Feelin' (WE, 2001)

When Dolly Parton sang her desperate "Jolene" it came off as helpless plea, but when SherriT Austin modernizes it here, you're left with the distinct impression this other woman might walk away from this altercation with a black eye. This is because when Austin calls her out, it's with a voice like a full-force gale. Austin's vocals sometimes sound like a wild hair that just won't stay in place; like it has a mind of its own.

Producer Will Rambeaux should have taken the drums down just a tad inmany places, because it sometimes sounds here like the percussion is only egging Austin on to over-sing. But even these slight errors in judgment cannot mask some better-than-average songs, such as the aforementioned "Jolene," or the original "In The Meantime," describing the ordinary lives of people who hope to one day do great things.

When all the pyrotechnics wind down, as with the ballad "Love Melts Even the Coldest Hearts," Austin's thoughtful enunciation rises to the forefront. On"Back Where I Belong," Rambeaux utilizes layered vocals to give this melodic tune a gentle summer feel. It even sports a few nice bars of piano tinkling. Moments like these make for feelings well worth the following.