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Chris Cagle is one of those traditional cowboy hat wearing country boys who is trying to make it big in Nashville. His self-titled second album traveled all the way to #1 in the country charts in 2003 and he followed it two years later 2005 with this album. It has not been a total disaster for him but stalled in #4 in the charts for Top Country albums.

His first single release from this album was "Miss Me Baby" and it failed to hit TOP10 landing at #12 at the charts. Wal-Mart Parking Lot flunked at #42 and title track "Anywhere But Here" did not go any further than #52.

Opening track "You Might Want To Think About It" is a song about a guy who warns the girl to really think before going after him. Not a bad song and he is trying to be humorous and all country, his voice is not shining on that one.

Slower start on the "WAL-MART Parking Lot" and Chris sounds a lot better. He is singing about a girl he had and lost. Singing about small town and what went on in the parking lot. Kind of Kenny Chesney type of song, being young and dumb and so on. Pleasant but not earth shattering tune.

He really pushes the buttons on "Miss Me Baby" wooing his woman. This is what country music is all about! It is so syrupy that it makes me feel little icky but I bet many fans love that one.. Chris goes on loving Maria with poise but somehow he does not sound too convincing to me. "Your kisses knock me over, makes me drunk and make me sober... I don't know maybe I'm a cynic but this song is way over trying to be romantic, big time overkill!

"Anywhere But Here" goes on with brokenhearted whiskey drinking slow songs with violin behind and I actually like this one! Great melody, good lyrics, simple and sad just like it should be. I can feel sad with him and I find myself singing with him. This tune will make it to my slow songs of the year collection.

I am getting quite bored now, next song is about him still loving his woman and needing her but somehow he does not sound like he would Blaaaaaaah, blaaaaaah..

Next song is just sad. Doing "Hey Ya'll" with a country twang. He sounds like he is reading the words from the book while singing, trying to spice it up a bit but trust me it ain't working! He is asking how he is doing and I don't think he wants me to answer that question!

Thankfully Chris Cagle returns to his lady-loving style. Another ballad about him telling us all how he was made to love her. Not too bad but I will not remember this song in an hour. Nothing like the original!

I must admit that I am huge Bon Jovi fan and this "Dead Or Alive" version sounds to me like very mediocre karaoke song. Yes, he is hitting the notes and trying but let's face it, this guy is not Jon Bon Jovi...

Next there is another slow song about him leaving and figuring where he is going when he gets there. To me this is another song that needs to be gooooooooone. I'm using the FF button again.

Thankfully Chris Cagle closes the show with half decent performance in yet another ballad about how he loves his woman. Boring and predictable but somewhat believable and I am glad he found her anyway!

So if you like feeling blue or want to listen some decent slow country music and can stomach those remakes you might like this album. To me it was quite disappointing in the end. Well produced and band was good, I've heard much worst than this album but still cannot recommend it to everyone.

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