by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
On It's About Time, his first album for RCA Records, Tracy Byrd slyly adds some pop flourishes to his neo-traditionalist style. Some longtime followers may be surprised how smoothly the opening track &Put Your Hand in Mine& goes down, but Byrd straightens things out with the next two cuts, &It's About Time& and &Can't Have One Without the Other,& which glide along with mildly twangy guitars and his rich baritone. From that point on, It's About Time follows a strange path, bouncing between good, neo-traditionalist country and music that seems a little too smooth for Byrd. That's not really a problem, since he's a very good singer and he sounds good no matter what he's singing, but the pace of the album nevertheless is a little awkward, mainly due to the fact that the pop-tinged material isn't quite as strong as the straight country. Still, Byrd is a classy, professional performer, which makes sorting through the chaff to find the wheat a worthwhile experience.