Time flies and some times it's a good thing. While it may not seem like five years since Vickie's last CD, Welcome Home, it's still been a long wait for those of us who truly enjoy the products of her craft. On Next, Vickie dishes up a dozen new tracks in her signature Pop/Pop-Country style, only this time she has definitely taken it up a notch. As good as her last CD was, this one is better. The band is tight and right on with a heapin' helpin' of mind-grabbing hooks and excellent solos, her vocals are strong and solid and the production is impeccable. Vickie's songwriting pulls tales direct from the "life happens" department, and that means she never misses a chance to weave in a little of that observational humor that she's known for. Hopefully, it won't be another five years before Vickie's next CD, but if so, this one is plenty good to hold us over.


Musician & Singer Magazine 11/20/08
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Vickie Russell caught me by surprise in 2003 when she came to visit us on FM Odyssey radio with her new album Welcome Home.  I was familiar with the

back-up vocal work she had done with legendary artists, but it was immediately obvious to me that this was a powerful recording that made me realize what a strong talent she is on her own.

 

Her latest release Next is proof that Vickie is here to stay. Not only has she become an even stronger song writer as evidenced by the song  All the time, but her willingness to stretch her boundaries in songs such as Yard Sale and Eva the Diner Diva. They are a testament to the fact that she delivers inspiring and thought provoking music.

 

Next is a “must have” CD for anyone that is thirsty for brilliantly executed music in a time when that is extremely difficult to find.

 

Fred Migliore – FM Odyssey Radio
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If Dolly Parton is interested in reviving her superstar country career, she might want to think about covering the title track of Vickie Russell’s new CD. “What about the one before, I think it was Wayne?/At your 10th reunion you rekindled the flame/Got you hot and bothered by the way he kissed/Had a second job as an arsonist,” Russell sings. Such twisted humor has sadly become a lost art in country music; I applaud Russell for reminding us that this genre is not as vanilla as people think.

Russell sways back and forth from old to new country, utilizing elements of both to create a sound that is neither too retro nor too pop. She should be able to corral both audiences then. Her singing borrows from folk music, such as on ”Painted by Monet” and “I Want You,” with its reflective acoustic opening that then picks up speed. The piano song, “Go to Sleep,” is as sweet and uplifting they come. You will emerge from Next with a large smile on your face, either from laughing out loud or simply being touched.
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Don’t be fooled by the smiling, innocuous face on the cover; there’s a wicked wit hiding beneath the pop country flavors and Adult Contemporary hooks on Next. More specifically, the title track which is about searching for Mr. Right and, well, sometimes ending up with Ms. Wrong. “Big, blonde and built/You thought he was a steal,” Russell sings playfully. “Then you caught him dancing/In your panties and heels.” Pretty funny stuff, and the kind of song which could leap onto country radio with its hilarious lyrics alone. (Actually, knowing the market quite well, it’d probably take a cover from a popular country act to get it onto the proper airwaves, which is too bad.) That tune alone is worth having this CD. Every woman should be able to relate to it, the frustrations of the dating scene wherein each seemingly good find turns out to be a bust - or even an arsonist.

Nevertheless, I don’t want to peg Vickie Russell as a novelty singer, either. “All the Time” is a moving tale of romantic reconciliation with a sad beginning and a happy ending, breaking away from country music’s soap opera formula of napkin weeping. Russell strays from her country roots, too. The piano-driven, cello-colored ”Painted by Monet” showcases some elegant artistry while “Tell Me from Your Heart” recalls early ’80s AM radio Adult Contemporary. On “He’s Your Man Now,” Russell manages to be both humorous and melancholy, simultaneously missing an old flame while warning his new girl about his faults.
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