Trying to Be Me

Trying to Be Me
Studio album by
Laura Bryna
ReleasedJanuary 22, 2008 (2008-01-22)
Studio
  • Sony/Tree Studios, OmniSound Studios, Quad Studios, The Compound, Loud Recording, Blackbird Studios, 1808 Studios, The Insanery and Vibe 56 (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
LabelEquity Music Group
Producer

Trying to Be Me is the only album by American country music singer Laura Bryna. It was released on January 22, 2008 via Equity Music Group. "Make a Wish", "Life Is Good" and "Hometown Heroes" were all released as singles.

Critical reception

Country Weekly gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Bryna's voice but criticizing the album for containing "some of the most over-the-top tear-jerkers in recent memory."[1] Jacquilynne Schlesier of Country Standard Time similarly said that Bryna had "lots of character in the phrasing", but said "most of the lyrics sound like songs you've heard before."[2] PopMatters also criticized the album for "play[ing] a variety of obvious cards in her pursuit of country or pop audiences."[3]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Life Is Good"Billy Crain, Tammy Hyler, Liz Rose3:32
2."Maybe She Fell"Pat Bunch, Georgia Middleman4:15
3."Set It on Fire"Tony Mullins, Danny Wells3:36
4."Room 228"Victoria Banks3:08
5."Same Dog"Jennifer Hanson, Mark Nesler, Tony Martin3:06
6."Make a Wish"Laura Bryna, Jeff Batson, Roger Sarchet, Steven J. Williams3:31
7."Out the Window"Marv Green, Chris Lindsey, Hillary Lindsey, Aimee Mayo3:21
8."640 Battlefield Dr."Bonnie Baker, Connie Harrington4:13
9."According to the Radio"Monty Powell, Keith Urban4:08
10."She Can't Save Him"Sherrié Austin, Will Rambeaux, Steven J. Williams4:20
11."No Man's Land"Kaci Bolls, Marty Dodson, Liz Hengber3:01
12."Smoke from a Bridge You Burned"Skip Ewing, Donny Kees3:46
Bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."I Don't Have a Thing to Wear"Monty Holmes, Monty Criswell3:40

Personnel

  • Laura Bryna – lead vocals
  • Tony Harrell – keyboards
  • John Hobbs – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Bob Patin – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Mike Rojas – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Catherine Styron-Marx – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Bryan Austin – electric guitars
  • Jeff King – electric guitars
  • Brent Mason – electric guitars
  • Dan Dugmore – electric guitars, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar
  • Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar
  • Kerry Marx – acoustic guitar
  • Michael Noble – acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar
  • Billy Panda – acoustic guitar, mandolin
  • Mike Severs – acoustic guitar
  • Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar, electric guitars, banjo, mandolin
  • Sonny Garrish – dobro, steel guitar
  • Mike Douchette – steel guitar
  • Mike Johnson – steel guitar
  • Zach Runquist – mandolin, cello, violin
  • David Hungate – bass guitar
  • Alison Prestwood – bass guitar
  • Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
  • Eddie Bayers – drums
  • Paul Leim – drums, percussion
  • Greg Morrow – drums
  • Casey Wood – chimes, cymbals, shaker, tambourine, timpani, gongs
  • Kirk "JellyRoll" Johnson – harmonica (5, 11)
  • Larry Franklin – fiddle
  • Andrea Zonn – fiddle (2, 12)
  • Larry Hall – strings
  • Bekka Bramlett – backing vocals
  • Lisa Cochran – backing vocals
  • Perry Coleman – backing vocals
  • Thom Flora – backing vocals
  • Tania Hancheroff – backing vocals
  • Wes Hightower – backing vocals
  • Gale Mayes West – backing vocals
  • Kim Parent – backing vocals
  • Angela Primm – backing vocals
  • Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals
  • Russell Terrell – backing vocals

Production

  • Roger Sarchet – producer, management
  • Kyle Lehning – producer (3, 6, 8, 9, 13), mixing
  • Pat McMackin – recording, additional mixing
  • Casey Wood – recording, overdub recording (3, 13), additional engineer (6, 8, 9)
  • Jason Lehning – engineer (6, 8, 9)
  • Adam Engelhardt – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Paul Hart – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Matt Coles – recording assistant (3, 13)
  • Lowell Reynolds – assistant engineer (6)
  • Eric Tonkin – additional vocal engineer and editing
  • Doug Sax – mastering
  • Sangwook Nam – mastering
  • The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California) – mastering location
  • Lorna Leighton – art direction, design
  • flytedesign.com – art direction, design
  • Dana Tynan – photography
  • Felix Fischer – hair stylist
  • John Stapleton – make-up
  • WRPG Management, Inc. – management

References

  1. ^ "Trying to Be Me review". Country Weekly. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  2. ^ Schlesier, Jacquilynne. "Trying to Be Me review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  3. ^ Heaton, Dave (March 10, 2008). "Trying to Be Me review". PopMatters. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
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