I Wanna Be Loved By You

Album Review

Rhonda Towns kicks off I Wanna Be Loved by You with "Somethin' Better," a catchy country singalong that wouldn't be out of place on CMT. She follows with the title track, delivering Bernie Nelson and Shane Teeters' lyrics with verve against the backdrop of electric guitar and pedal steel. Both songs show Towns as a capable interpreter, quite at home with the nuances of contemporary country, and her band is rock solid. She's also at home with quieter fare like Rick Holt and Freddy Weller's "Those Were the Nights," though a tad too much echo has been added to her vocal. Unfortunately, Towns also embodies some of country's more cloying qualities, as when she offers a brief introduction about giving thanks before cutting loose on an a cappella version of "The Lord's Prayer." This nearly brings the album to a halt for two minutes, before jumping back into another upbeat song about two lovers in each other's arms. At 30 minutes, I Wanna Be Loved by You is short, and since Towns only sings other people's songs, there was no reason she couldn't have added a couple more. Having said that, she's shown superb taste in choosing these songs, and I Wanna Be Loved by You is a likable, well-delivered album. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide