Randy Travis - Full Circle (1996)

Randy Travis' Full Circle is a return to form, of sorts. Although he never really left the country charts, his mid-'90s albums suffered from a tendency to sound a bit too similar too each other. Full Circle solves that problem by simultaneously reaching back into his hardcore honky tonk roots and moving toward more contemporary material, such as Mark Knopfler's "Are We in Trouble Now." Travis' exquisitely textured and weathered voice gives the new songs a gravity they might not have had if another vocalist had sung them. Furthermore, producer Kyle Lehning has once again assembled a top-notch backing band that manages to sound rootsy and professional simultaneously. With a fine band and an excellent set of material, Travis rises to the occasion with Full Circle, producing one of his finest albums of the '90s.~Full Circle Review by Thom Owens