LeAnn Rimes

Although the title is Family, these slightly conceptualized country songs don't touch much on flowery kinship. The edgy title track sets the stage with a powerful narrative touching on broken homes, gossipy townswomen and surviving infidelity. Marc Broussard's weathered rasp chimes in on "Nothing Wrong," a sweltering duet that starts with a "Honky Tonk Women"-sounding riff. Jon Bon Jovi lends his vocals on the romantic "Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore," but "Fight" may be the most powerful song here, longing to turn a domestic nightmare back into the American dream.

By the time Rimes turned twenty-one, she had a slew of country hits ("Blue"), one big pop
crossover ("How Do I Live") and the weirdest Christian-porn version of "Purple Rain" ever.
Now twenty-five, she scores with a fantasy of the footloose youth she never had ("Nothin'
Better to Do") and a Tanya Tucker-style tale of childhood strife ("Family"). The songs are
uneven, but the peak is a duet with Mr. Nashville himself, Jon Bon Jovi.