Drive Drive 
When an artist brings out a really superb album, the first question asked is how will she top this one. Its even a tougher question when you consider it's the artist’s first solo effort. This is the position Chris Webster finds herself in, with the debut of Drive. I included this album in my top ten releases of 1995 along with luminaries such as Tracy Chapman New Beginning, Natalie Merchant Tigerlilly, and Joan Armatrading What’s Inside. 
Drive is a showcase of Chris’s magnificent voice, and her splendid song writing ability. Nine of the 12 songs were written by Chris, and the three excellent choice covers are icing on the cake. The power, beauty and uniqueness of Chris’s voice is self evident upon listening, but her lyrical ability unfolds through each song and is a very pleasant surprise. There is unique underlining characteristic in Chris’s writing and a subtle style that gives the writing a recognizable signature. Her vocal style has a predominate bluesy up-tempo current, with eddies of pop, folk, country, and pure driving rock. Everything she does, she does well, and her choice of backing musicians only solidifies her excellence. They include Willie Weeks, Bill Lloyd, Barbara Lamb, Mike Marshall, Joe Craven, the Memphis Horns, Matt Rollins, Al Perkins and the great Nina Gerber. In addition, Kevin Welch, Ferron, and Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel, have voiced high praise of this fine effort.
You know you're in for a treat when the first song up is a Van Morrison cover , Ball and Chain. She delivers the song with the soul and power typical of Van Morrison and she takes it to a new dimension through the shear quality of her voice. Her powerful distinctive voice seems a natural fit for this blues style song.
Tumble into Love is a fun rockin’ piece with a little country flair giving the listener a first glimpse of Chris’s signature songwriting style and delivery. It's a little reminiscent of the Nick Lowe’s writing style and Carlene Carter’s vocal exuberance.
I’m Driving is a well executed sensual sounding, kinda Bonnie Riatt "like" but better (no I’m not knocking Bonnie, this is just a high compliment to Chris).--You can sit real close with your hand on my leg, But before you touch that wheel, make no mistake, I’m driving, I’m driving.”
Shake on It, featuring the Memphis Horns has a down home blues type of feeling with a hard driving delivery. Is there some kind of fine print I should be reading /Before I sign up with you./ If love is a bargain will I still be needing/ A guarantee that you’ll be true/ Before we seal it up I’ve got to sit you down/ Honey, look me in the eye and take my hand and /Shake on it...
Turning of the wheel, a masterful rendition of a Jennifer Berezan song, (who by the way is one of the finest as yet relatively unknown singer songwriters around) is a hauntingly beautiful song about the very nature of our existence and our relationship to the world. This is one of those rare and special songs for me that requires listening to over and over. The kind of song that becomes your very favorite for a period of time, and the only song you want to listen to. Guess what ! Drive contains two such songs . Circles In The Wind is the other.. But now I’ve got questions for your answers/ And if you think that is a sin,/ I growing tired of searching/ For a voice /That circles in the wind / Around and around....Yes, Circles in the Wind just goes round and round in your head, and you can’t get enough.
So, yes Chris has set the bench mark, a very lofty one at that, for her future work to be measured against. Great artists tend not to have a problem with this, and I don’t think Chris will either. I only see a bright productive future and look forward to following her career and enjoying her music.
....Jack Sutton HRM
KVMR Nevada City CA (Program Guide Jan. 1995)
I've waited years for this recording. Webster's sultry voice singing her own unique lyrics find me rewarded for the wait. "When you've gone five hundred miles/you hear rancheros on the radio playing/You don't understand a word of what they're saying...Its sweet like candy bars and freedom/And its so good to feel good again..." Its a bit hard to generalize, on what this recording is about and get more specific than life itself. It's not at all general, thought-it's precise and resonate. Webster gives the perception of effortlessly saying, both with music and lyrics, what we've been meaning to say but haven't had the tools to articulate. Webster coproduced, and Barbara Lamb, Nina Gerber, and Joe Craven help deliver the made-in- Nashville sound.
---Carolyn Crane
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