Pleasant enough, but it just feels a bit too safe.
Of course, it’s easy to understand why that might be. Country radio has never been a haven for female artists, and the odds are even less in your favor when you’re 45 years old, and haven’t had a Top 10 hit in six years.
That said, Hill’s invested performance goes a long way toward bringing the song to life, and the melody of the chorus has
an infectious laid-back charm about it. The production is thick, though flourishes of mandolin and banjo help offset the polish to some extent. Unfortunately, the lyrics offer relatively little to get excited about. There’s not much of a lyrical hook to be found. The verses are built too much on hollow declarations, while the similes and metaphors in the chorus seem vague and thrown-together.
“American Heart” is easy enough on the ears, but it’s hard to like a song when you get the feeling the song is trying too hard to make you like it. I still want that new Faith Hill album to see the light of day, but I hope she can get a hold of stronger lyrical material to match those strong, distinctive pipes of hers.
Grade: B-
Haven’t listened to it enough to form an opinion, but B- is a lot better than the ‘D’ I was envisioning. You never know how people are going to react to songs these days.
Even though her age, fact she’s a female, and status as less than popular right now may keep this from being a huge hit, I hope “American Heart” does well enough to justify releasing the album. It’s been too long without new Faith Hill music!
Too much music on the radio is easy-on-the-ears polished generic junk designed to appeal to everyone. Faith Hill has a beautiful voice and could make outstanding music again if she’d take a little risk with it and sing songs she’s really emotionally connected to. To me, that’s what makes good music- when the artist can make you feel what they’re feeling through the songs they sing.
I have such a hard time believing that after nearly a decade and with all the song writers in Nashville (and beyond) who must be rooting for Hill, or at least want an album cut, that this tuneless, pandering bore is the best that could be gotten for her. Is her taste in music really that bad or are the people around her really not that invested? It’s a real shame, too. Hill has always had such a unique voice and strong presence.
If the release of her album is predicated upon the good fortunes of American Heart, I’m afraid she may be in trouble.
Written by Jonathan Singleton & Jim Beavers, it’s not exactly up there with “The Secret of Life” or “Let Me Let Go”. I think I’ll pass on this one.
…the secret of life in a country music power couple household: never comment in any way on the other’s current single (don’t be afraid of using a cushion, if necessary).
cushions, please.
I’m rooting for this song just because I want a new Album from Faith. I’ve head the Title Track on the upcoming Album “Illusion” and it seemed to me to be the song they should have released first.
Pretty much meets the status quo of most of Faith Hill’s back catalog:
Strong Vocals, Bland Production, Weak Lyrics With A Couple Atrocious One-Liners.
I think Faith Hill deserves a great deal more credit than that. She’s many times shown great taste in material in the past, as well as an ear for strong hooks, which a listen to It Matters to Me, Cry, or Fireflies will readily attest to. There’s a lot more to Faith Hill than just the Breathe album.
I totally Love this new song by Faith Hill. OMG it’s a song that tugs at your heart, makes you feel stronger! and ready to take on anything in life. Thank You Faith !!!!
I used to be a big Faith Hill fan….but she is starting to bug me. It seems she is trying too hard to look like the younger singers, especially Carrie Underwood. Yes, Faith Hill has great legs…but put some clothes on! She needs to dress her age and quit trying so hard. She can still look sexy! Just a turn off in my eyes. And this song….YAWN. What happened to hits like “This Kiss”? She and Tim are just boring me. Im disappointed in their choice to perform in Vegas, too. Seems desperate. What happened to these two???