Meredith Brooks
Deconstruction
Label: Capitol
Genre: Rock, Pop
File Under: Rising above bitchiness
Rating: 78
Though there's no shortage of Lilith Fair alumnae
who've complained, at one point or another, that
they've been misunderstood, perhaps none has
better title to that assertion than Meredith
Brooks. While her 1997 hit "Bitch" broke the
singer's career wide open, the petulant pop song
also saddled Brooks with Alanis-lite descriptors.
And that's unfair. While Brooks and Morissette
do, indeed, share common traits as vocalists,
attitude-wise, the two songwriters are worlds
apart.
Its title notwithstanding, Deconstruction builds
upon 霠rather than changes 霠the formula
Brooks established on 1997's Blurring the
Edges. While the album grabs piecemeal from a
multitude of styles, Brooks' assured sense of
pop songcraft keeps the proceedings on firm
footing. High points include the languid, witty
ballad "Bored With Myself"; the synth-and-rap
excursion "All for Nothing" (a song that evokes
Autoamerican-era Blondie); and the
turntable-scratch-laden "Cosmic Woo Woo."
Deconstruction's finest moment occurs,
however, on Brooks' cover of Melanie's 1971
smash "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)." As
Queen Latifah prods her with background
whoops and encouragement to "bring it on"
(Latifah also contributes a brief but powerful lead
vocal interlude), Brooks offers up a performance
rife with subtlety and emotion.
Thus far, much of the attention thrust upon
Brooks has centered on her formidable guitar
skills. (And, in fact, she handles all the
six-string work on this one.) On the evidence at
hand, however, she may yet carve out an
impressive niche as a composer. At the very
least, Deconstruction should put to rest the
notion that the feisty songwriter is riding on
anyone's coattails. 霠Russell Hall
--
gender is just an excuse, relationship shouldn't just be an excuse,
love is often an excuse, although sometimes these excuses are all
we have to hold onto,
death is the reason and living is the celebration
- Beth Orton
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.twbbs.org)
◆ From: sj67-138.dialup