by Eugene Chadbourne
A couple of misfire tracks keep this from being among the best of this country singing queen's many fine albums for this label. Normally a pretty reliable songwriter, she comes up with a pretty embarrassing dud in &To Make a Man Feel Like a Man,& but it must have been the season for this kind of thing as she also does a cover version of &Stand By Your Man,& which is a much better song and also in this case provides the interesting contrast of getting to hear one country song queen doing her interpretation of one of her rival's biggest hits. Elsewhere, Lynn has the taste to do a moving Merle Haggard cover, and her original &Big Sister, Little Sister& is almost uncomfortably tragic, even by country music standards. As for musical backup, the uncredited players are right in the pocket with heartfelt tinkling piano, honky tonk pedal steel, and all other expected stylings.