I received my copy of Mickie James’ ‘Strangers & Angels’ CD yesterday, and listened to every song today, so I offered to do a review for Diva Dirt. They said to go for it, so here goes!
First, a disclaimer. I’ve been a fan of Mickie James’ since she debuted in the WWE in 2005. But I’ve promised to be an unbiased reviewer, and I will be.
The first song is the single, ‘Are You with Me?’. It’s a country rock-style song that celebrates being a country girl. A good pick to be the single, its upbeat, catchy, the type of song that you’d find yourself singing along with. I’m sure everyone’s heard this one so I’m not going to spend too much time on it.
The second is ‘Hollywood Movie Moment’, one of the three songs Mickie co-wrote. In her interview with John Canton, she says that this song came from when she found out her ex-fiancée had been cheating on her. It paints a picture of how any woman who’s been cheated on would have liked to react (or may have reacted, depending on the person’s temperament). Rather akin to Carrie Underwood’s ‘Before He Cheats’. It’s a similar country rock style tune. At times, her voice tends to become ‘uneven’, but the pain she felt at the time is recalled and poured into the song.
The third track is ‘I Call the Fight’. You might’ve gotten the impression this one would make references to wrestling, but instead boxing is the theme. It likens a boxing match to a turbulent relationship she’s been through, with more downs than ups. Mickie’s ‘calling the fight’ – she’s giving up and walking away, she can’t take the punches any longer. It’s a softer song, relying on quiet backup from drums, guitar and piano. You can really get a feel for Mickie’s voice in this one since the instruments aren’t overpowering. She has a sweet voice, strong in parts, soft in others. She sounds vulnerable in this song – it isn’t easy to give up but sometimes you have to.
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