(RCA)
After disappearing from the music scene for four years, Natalie Imbruglia returns with her sophomore album, White Lilies Island, that is somewhere in between a pop Ani Difranco and a less bitter Fiona Apple. Apparently, Imbruglia spent the four year hiatus getting her heart broken and trying to write about it'nearly every song on the album speaks to the confusion of an artistic 20-something.
The album is a success for those who enjoyed \Torn,"" the first single off of her popular 1997 debut that enjoyed excessive radio play in England and the United States. It's also refreshing for the audience that may be tired of the over-the-top sugary lyrics of most pop music right now but it's not so alternative that it's alienating. She builds on what she established with ""Torn"" by creating songs that sound much more like poetry than something manufactured to tailor to a ""target audience.""
Reportedly, Imbruglia took four years to finish because she hit a major writer's block but the end result is 12 songs with her name as a co-writer on every single one. The second track ""Beauty on the Fire"" is a good example of the theme of the rest of the album: ""Tonight, could I be lost forever/ To drown, my soul in/ Sensory pleasure/ Here it comes again/ You raise the bar even higher/ I cannot catch my breath/ So throw the beauty on the fire.""
""Wrong Impression"" is currently receiving radio play in the United States and ""That Day"" was a favorite in England when the album was released overseas last fall.
It was a good decision for Imbruglia to leave her job as an Australian soap-opera star in 1996 and move to London to try a career as a musician because she has an obvious talent. Her voice is lovely and sweet and the instrumentals in the background create something soft and captivating. She sings like she looks'it's a sort of dichotomy that exudes fragility and strength at the same time, passion and hurt.
On , Imbruglia shows that she's not as helpless as she was in ""Torn."" Imbruglia has matured a lot since her debut album, creating a stylish and thoughtful follow-up.
(Interscope)
California punk band Unwritten Law originally gained fame through its simple punk tunes, but has expanded to incorporate more complicated, heavier sounds. Their recent attempt to do this, , is a success.
The album commences with ""Mean Girl,"" an upbeat, get-your-blood-pumping track. It's a good cup of java, as is the rest of the album, remaining upbeat and lighthearted. The album contains brilliant transitions with a vast array of music styles, such as pop-punk, hard rock, reggae, ska and modern rock. This being said, it appeals to the masses without entering the ""sell-out"" category. Talent is evident as they leap back and forth between such contrasting styles as reggae and pop-punk on the track ""Up All Night,"" without sounding choppy or out of place. The sound is melodic, sensitive and harmonious one second and dives into a mighty heavy metal the next, while keeping it catchy and attention-getting. One constant is the prevalent guitar parts, which both support and take charge.
One aspect is lacking on this album and that is its lyrical genius. Though it remains easy to sing along to, it is frustrating to hear such a talented band applying sophomoric phrases to their rich, intelligent sound. Some of the more senseless lyrics are ""I'm in love with you in love with me/'Cause I'm in love with you in love with me,"" and ""Nothing changes if nothing changes."" Such circular reasoning leaves little room for contemplation or inspiration. Nevertheless, it is a clever and consuming album that will keep you going, even on those obscenely sluggish days.
(Interscope)
The bottom line is that no matter how much Tom Cruise wanted to get rid of her, Nicole Kidman is still going strong. Along with her talent for acting, Kidman has forged into the music world via Baz Luhrmann's ""Moulin Rouge."" With the release of 'the second soundtrack released for the movie'Kidman, once again, puts on a spectacular performance.
In order to begin describing the soundtrack, it needs to first be placed into a category. As it is, ""Moulin Rouge"" is a musical and, as a result, finds itself among other great sing-a-long compilations of its time. Familiar melodies sung by Marilyn Monroe and Madonna are resurrected and injected with new life that grabs the listener by the ears and sends them into song.
The overall compilation of songs featured on the CD is a balanced selection that features both instrumental and noninstrumental scores. Arguably the most upbeat song of the album is ""Meet Me in the Red Room"" performed by Amiel. Lost amidst the original film versions of ""Sparkling Diamonds"" and ""Like a Virgin,"" the rapid tempo and racy lyrics of ""Meet Me in the Red Room"" adds a new element of flair to the soundtrack. Even though this song seems to be overshadowed by its compatriots, Amiel is an artist to be watched for in the future.
Overall, the musical selections found on provides an enjoyable listening experience that brings a smile to one's face. The songs tug at the listener's emotions, each one pulling a different way, and they ultimately reveal to the listener the true nature of the movie, its purpose, its meaning, its goal.
