Jo Dee Messina- Bridges
Label: Dreambound
Producer: David Spencer
As the 1990s transformed into the new millennium, a girl-power gold-rush was still very much dominating mainstream country music on the backs of commercial juggernauts like Shania Twain, The Chicks, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride. And it should not be discounted that Jo Dee Messina was right there with them, notably competing and proving to be as formidable of a chart force as any of her contemporaries. This would continue well throughout the first half of the 2000s, before Nashville’s notorious misogyny and disastrous record label politics foolishly sunk her momentum and railroaded her discography. However, Messina’s enjoyed a revival of acclaim and popularity in recent years, thanks to insatiable nostalgia for the 90s, as well as Cole Swindell’s smash 2022 sampling of her debut single on “She Had Me At Head’s Carolina”. This leads us to her seventh studio album, her first since 2014, and certainly her most high-profile release since 2005’s Delicious Surprise.
And Bridges proves to be more than aptly titled. Listening to this record, it feels like no time has passed since Jo Dee’s heyday in the late 90s and early aughts, at least musically speaking. Now of course, there’s plenty of new life experience informing the material, from raising teenagers to an increasing inspiration from her Christian faith. But in terms of the overall record’s stylistic identity, long-time fans will be thrilled with how consistent Bridges sounds with the rest of Messina’s vintage catalog. Her voice remains as full, vibrant, and expressive as it did in her prime. The songs are completely tethered to her signature brand of positive anthemia and emotional inspiration. And the overall production is a crisp, balanced, and uncomplicated helping of country-pop that allows her effervescent personality to spill over. The album truly represents what we’d imagine the rest of Messina’s 2000s decade would have sounded like if she’d be given the opportunity to follow her own creative path.
Yes, there are a few heavy-handed production choices here and there (namely album opener “Welcome to the Show” and second single, “Don’t Let Them Hide Your Beautiful”), but this was honestly always an occasionally charming staple of Messina’s catalog as well. But once she reaches the second track and lead single, “Some Bridges”, the album really finds its sonic groove and takes flight, and it continues through fetching tracks like “Days You Don’t Get Back”, “Where the Cowboys Ride”, and especially the greasy, amped-up “Message In A Bottle”. Messina sounds fabulous on these sure-fire bangers, her vocals spilling over with fiery personality, palpable charisma and her signature joyful spirit and pep. Truthfully, any of these cuts could have easily resided on I’m Alright or Burn, and ruled the country radio charts a quarter-century ago.
Of course, Messina has never shied away from heavier material either; with her biggest canon of smash singles nimbly balancing euphoric anthems with dramatic ballads. The longing plea, “Can Anybody”, as well as “Let Me Love You”, written and sung for her teenaged sons, fall squarely in this territory, and likewise show the singer picking up where she last left off in this realm. Messina has also been very open about her born-again status in recent years that saw her weathering a battle with cancer, a divorce, and the loss of her mother. This evolution expectedly serves as source-material, but in refreshing fashion. (Truth be told: I was worried for a while that she was preparing to completely abandon her country-pop repertoire to become a full-blown CCM artist). “The Jesus I Know” is not the syrupy Christian power-ballad you’re probably expect, but rather an eerie Western production with heavy, rock leaning edges that thankfully focuses on washed-in-the-blood grit vs. hollow Sunday morning glory notes. The LP’s finale, “If He Knew Jesus” ventures a bit more into preachy territory, with an over-simplified message that an abusive husband and father would lose all of his demons if he adopted Christianity. That one could have gone off the cliff, but never does thanks to both a more stripped production (it’s among the rootsiest moments of the record) and Messina’s convicted vocal and empathetic, evocative sincerity.
Overall, Bridges is a tremendously redemptive and full-circle artistic moment for Jo Dee Messina, and one that her long-time fans will undoubtedly relish, while reminding all of us as to why she was one of the most successful acts of her kind in her prime. It’s an impressively satisfying reintroduction to a returning star, especially knowing the long road traveled to get to this destination. This record will quickly reacquaint her with a following that has always loved her, and also deserves to continue her revelation to a whole new generation of listeners.
Track Listing:
- “Welcome to the Show” (Jo Dee Messina)
- “Some Bridges” (Messina, Kathleen Higgins, James T. Slater)
- “Days You Don’t Get Back” (Messina, Ross Copperman, Tyler Hubbard, Jon Nite)
- “Where the Cowboys Ride” (Messina, Emily Falvey, David Spencer)
- “Can Anybody” (Messina, Ethan Hulse)
- “Don’t Let Them Hide Your Beautiful” (Messina, Spencer, Blessing Offor)
- “Message in a Bottle” (Messina, Hulse, Spencer)
- “The Jesus I Know” (Brennley Brown, Jonathan Gamble, Nick Schwartz)
- “It’s All About You” (Messina, Hulse)
- “Let Me Love You” (Messina, Tim Nichols, Jonathan Smith)
- “If He Knew Jesus” (Messina, Spencer, Mark Trussell)
The 706 
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