You and You Alone

by Thom OwensYou and You Alone was a pivotal album for Randy Travis and his new label, DreamWorks. For Travis, it was designed to solidify his status as one of Nashville's new elders; for DreamWorks, it would have gotten their foot in the door of the notoriously insular Nashville music establishment. While You and You Alone doesn't quite fulfill either goal, it still is a sturdy record that makes Travis' many talents abundantly clear. It lacks the focus and consistent songwriting of its predecessor, Full Circle, which was his finest record in years, but individual moments shine just as brightly as the best from that album. Furthermore, producers James Stroud and Byron Gallimore (Travis also had a hand in producing) have given the record a clean, appealing sound that accentuates Travis' strengths. There are enough fine songs and good moments -- including cameos from Alison Krauss, Melba Montgomery, and Vince Gill -- to make this a solid entry in Travis' catalog, but it doesn't have enough flair to make it the big splash DreamWorks desired. Still, the small pleasures are as important as the big ones in Travis' music, and that's what makes You and You Alone a modest success.