Blackhawk - The Skys The Limit (1998)

Blackhawk, like many of their contemporary country peers, struggle to have it both ways. They want to have the hits, but they also want to keep country. At times, the scales have tipped toward the pop end, but with The Sky's the Limit, they move back toward country, coming up with a record that harks back to their organic debut. There is a difference, however. Here, they have more confidence, not only in their performances but in the way they merge their pop songwriting instincts with more authentic country instrumentation. It's a combination that works terrifically, enlivening even the weaker songs. Unfortunately, there are a few of those here, but that's part and parcel for a contemporary country album. What counts are the moments that work, and there enough of those -- "There You Have It," "Think Again," "Nobody Knows What to Say" -- to make it rank as one of their better efforts.~The Sky's the Limit Review by Thom Owens