Archive 2001

A Fan's Farewell to the Afghan Whigs
RIP 1986-2001

My Response, as an Afghan Whigs fan, to the News of Their Split

February 6, 2001 

It has been a strange day for me. I came home from work and found a message in my e-mail stating that my favorite band, the Afghan Whigs, had decided to call it quits. I then read numerous messages from fans expressing emotions ranging from disappointment to downright sorrow to almost hysteria. Now I express to you how I feel about the situation.

I am disappointed. My love for the Whigs started on an ordinary night when I was watching 120 Minutes in the Fall of 1993. I used to tape 120 Minutes and would only watch the "cool" videos or anything that looked cool to me. Something about the video for Debonair made me stop fast forwarding my tape and watch. I shortly after that night picked up the Whigs album, Gentlemen. I was never the same since. I was a freshman in college and I was watching my comfortable world I knew in high school being turned upside down before my eyes. Gentlemen helped me deal with the feeling of anger and separation I felt. For the last seven years, I have had a love affair with a man I've never met, Greg Dulli, through the brilliant music and he and the rest of the Afghan Whigs performed. Their music has been like an old friend, always there, never judging you.

The Afghan Whigs have had a good run. The Whigs never had a Top Ten hit but they lasted for fourteen years, which it amazing. Many bands would have given up years ago. They had some of the most dedicated fans on the planet. I don't think a band could have asked for better fans. The Whigs' e-mail discussion group is called Congregation and we are a congregation in the truest sense of the word.

The band stated in their press release that "it was a blast". The last seven years have been a blast for me as fan too. But sometimes, we as fans forget that the bands we love are people just like us. Greg, John, Rick, and Michael have personal lives just like I do. No band is more important than anyone's personal life. I would be completely selfish if I believed that anyone in the band should sacrifice their personal life just so I can have a new album. I respect the difficult decision the Whigs have made. I wish nothing but the best for Greg, John, Rick, and Michael, where ever life takes them next.

In reading the messages online, I have not heard a lot mentioned about the positive things that were mentioned in the Whigs' press release. The Twilight Singers made their debut in 2000. Greg is already working on the next Twilight Singers' record. The Twilight Singers is not the same as the Whigs but IT'S GREG DULLI. I assume that all Whigs fan would agree with me that Greg Dulli does not perform shitty music.

I heard one fan say that shitty bands survive and the good ones break up. I would say to you that all things must come to an end. Even one of the most successful and talented bands of all times, the Beatles, called it quits. I would rather the Whigs go out in style than drag out a band that they do not feel creatively good about.

I am sad at the thought that there won't be another Afghan Whigs album. But today I celebrate the Whigs' wonderful career and the six albums they gave us. These can never be taken away.

The Twilight Singers' album dealt with the theme of twilight, the period between day and night. My fellow Whigs fans, today was darkness but I see lightness again in the future. Greg Dulli will rise again with the new Twilight Singers album. I am sad to see the Whigs end but I'm happy and excited at the thought of seeing the Twilight Singers again. As Greg said it best in Twilight,

"When darkness falls
on summer's end
so in your absence
I shall begin
when darkness falls
the race is through
everything's gonna be alright, baby you'll see" 

IN MEMORY: ROBERT BUCK 1958-2000 (February)

Sometimes people can have a huge impact and not really be recognized for it. That was how Robert Buck was. 

Robert Buck was one of the founding members of 10,000 Maniacs. Robert started out as an anthropology student in Jamestown, NY. In 1981, he played guitar in the band, Still Life, which became 10,000 Maniacs. Most people when they think of 10,000 Maniacs think of former lead singer, Natalie Merchant. However, Robert Buck's contribution to the songwriting made 10,000 Maniacs what they were. Robert Buck wrote the music on early 10,000 Maniacs classics, such as the rocker "Scorpio Rising". He also wrote the music on "What's the Matter Here" and "Hey Jack Kerouac" from the album, In My Tribe, which is one of my favorite albums of all times and brought 10,000 Maniacs to the mainstream. Robert Buck's best known music was for the song, "These Are Days" which became 10,000 Maniacs' biggest hit. One of Robert Buck's most underrated pieces of music was for "Dust Bowl" on the album, Blind Man's Zoo. His stark, acoustic guitar makes the song a haunting, simple piece of beauty. Robert Buck's music made these songs great just as much as Natalie Merchant's lyrics. 

When Natalie Merchant left 10,000 Maniacs after the 1992 album,Our Time in Eden, 10,000 Maniacs carried on without her replacing her with Mary Ramsey and her husband, original guitarist, John Lombardo. While Natalie Merchant carried on by releasing mediocre solo albums, 10,000 Maniacs continued releasing quality music. Their first post-Natalie Merchant release was the highly underrated, Love Among the Ruins, in 1997. Natalie Merchant may have had more commercial success solo than 10,000 Maniacs did without her, but 10,000 Maniacs continued to write quality, well-written songs which can not be said for Natalie Merchant's solo work. 10,000 Maniacs left the mainstream and released the independent release, The Earth Pressed Flat, in 1999. Sadly, this would be Robert Buck's last album. In December 2000, Robert passed away from liver failure.
 

Robert Buck was a very talented guitarist and songwriter. His talent was often not noticed by the press with more attention focused on Natalie Merchant. However, it was Robert's talent that made 10,000 Maniacs a great band. A lot of his talent was not recognized during his life but it lives on in the wonderful songs he wrote and performed in 10,000 Maniacs. Robert Buck's talent will be greatly missed

WHY I QUIT WATCHING THE GRAMMYS YEARS AGO (March)

The 2001 Grammys have come and gone. I have had several people ask me if I watched the Grammys this year. My short answer is no. Why? Because I get pissed off every year at the stupidity of the Grammys. These have been some my of favorite Grammy "blunders" over the years. 

1. The people who make the Grammy nominations don't even understand their own categories.
 It never ceases to amaze me how many nominations there are in mismatched categories. The most obvious example was in 1988 in the Best Metal/Hard Rock category. The Academy not only nominated but awarded Jethro Tull with the Best Metal/Hard Rock Grammy for the album, Crest of Knave. I don't know a single person, except for the Grammy people, who believes that Jethro Tull is a hard rock or metal band. Yes, Metallica actually had something to be pissed off about this year. A more recent example of this was Paul McCartney being nominated for Best Alternative album this year for his album, Liverpool Sound Collage. How can someone who was in the biggest band in the world release an "alternative" album? Don't get me wrong, I love Paul McCartney, but he is as mainstream as it gets. Examples like these make me wonder if the Grammy people even listen to the albums they nominate. Or are they just too dumb to even understand the genres of music they have categories for? Your call. 

2. The Best New Artist category 
Winning this award is the kiss of death to an artist's career. Remember Christopher Cross or Marc Cohn? I didn't think so. They are both former "Best New Artist" winners that no one has ever heard from since. There is also the problem of complete no talent, flashes in the pan, winning this award. The Grammys' biggest blunder came when they awarded Milli Vanilli with a Best New Artist Grammy. We all know they were a bunch of frauds and their Grammy was taken away. I would have hated to have been the one who made this dumb error in judgment. Last year, Christina Aguilera won Best New Artist. Hopefully her career will take the same path as Marc Cohn and Christopher Cross' careers did. 

3. Cover songs SHOULD NOT be nominated. 
At the 1991 Grammys, Natalie Cole swept the Grammys with her song, "Unforgettable". Wait a minute, that was her Dad's song from many years ago. The Grammys treated this song like new song and shut out more deserving nominees, such as R.E.M., in the major categories. It is insulting to artists who write and perform their own music to lose to a song that is not current and is a remake. "Unforgettable" was made great by Nat King Cole, not his daughter. "Song of the Year" should go to a song that was actually from the year of Grammy, not some song that was popular years ago, and some no talent decided to cover. It's insulting to real songwriters performing current music to have their songs treated in the same league with some tired song from the past. 

4. It's all a bunch of HYPE, HYPE, HYPE. 
I can't stand the stunts some of these musicians pull just to boost their careers. I don't care that Jennifer Lopez glued a handkerchief to herself and called it a dress. I don't care that Toni Braxton wore straps to show. I don't care that Elton John thought he would look hip by performing with Eminem. This was not a clever move on Eminem's part, it was a marketing ploy, pure and simple. I don't want Eminem's "art" censored but I don't want this shit being recognized as quality "music". The only Grammy stunt that was funny was the "Soy Bomb" incident in 1997. It was worth it just to see Bob Dylan's confused expression. 

I will give the Grammys credit for awarding talented artists such as Carlos Santana and U2 in the major categories over no talent shits like the Backstreet Boys and Eminem in recent years. It's not enough to make me forget the blunders. That is why I have quit watching the Grammys.

REVIEW: LOVE TRACTOR- THE SKY AT NIGHT (April)

Turn your watch back. It's the early 1980's in the university town of Athens, GA. The B-52's have just received national success and there is a growing music scene in Athens led by R.E.M. Along for the ride was Love Tractor. While R.E.M. went on to become a super group, Love Tractor's blend of quirky instrumentals and lyrically cryptic pop songs never caught on with the mainstream. After the release of their brilliant, but underrated album, Themes From Venus, in 1988, Love Tractor called it quits. Or so we thought. For the last 13 years, founding members Mike Richmond, Mark Cline, and Armistead Wellford have been meeting periodically and writing songs. The result is The Sky at Night. 

Let me say up front that The Sky at Night is a departure for Love Tractor. On the earlier albums, most of the songs were instrumentals. The band started writing lyrics on the later releases but still featured the instrumentals like on the early albums. The Sky at Night only features two instrumentals, "Antarctica" and "Red Balloon". The band, however, experiments with song structure on songs such as "Christ Among the Children" and "And the Ship Sails On". Both of these songs feature long instrumental intros and the only lyrics are one phrase. The band also experiments with instrumentation. The most stunning example of this is on the song, "Bright". The song has an almost middle eastern feel with the use of such instruments as the koto and a steel guitar. Old friend and former R.E.M. drummer , Bill Berry helps out with the quirky percussions on this song playing "Neferiti's Bust and eggomaniac" according to the album's liner notes. 

Though the band experiments with new sounds, old Love Tractor fans will not be disappointed. The album's opening track, "Tree" is musically reminiscent of classic Love Tractor. The album's title track is a quirky musical epic much in the same way the title track from Themes From Venus was. Love Tractor stills has a gift for cryptic lyrics that don't really make sense but still sound cool. In the only lyric in song, the band asks "what's the sound of rain falling underwater?" in "And the Ship Sails On". The color red appears several times on the album: "little red church with an unpainted ceiling" ("Bright"), "where the arms are open wide behind a red white and blue background" ("US Desert"), and "she takes down her red undergarment" ("Balthus"). I'm not sure what the red themes mean but I'm sure the band does. 

It takes a really cool band to come back all these years later not for money but for the pure joy of making music. I knew that this album's release was going to be cool when the band's management e-mailed me personally, as a fan, announcing the album's release. Love Tractor has musically grown over the years. They are willing to experiment with new sounds while staying true to the sound that made them great. The band sums it up best on the song "Float On". "The past is behind you now. Your mind is free".

GOD DIDN'T FORGET: THE RETURN OF THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS (May)

 In 1977, brothers, Richard and Tim Butler, formed the Psychedelic Furs. New Wave was starting to take off and the Psychedelic Furs fit right in. However, the Psychedelic Furs were more than a new wave novelty band from the 1980's. They were alternative when alternative wasn't cool. Their gift of melody enhanced by lead vocalist Richard Butler's cigarette smoker's rasp has stood the test of time. 

There are so many Psychedelic Furs songs that I would call alternative classics. The Psychedelic Furs are best know for "Love My Way" and "Pretty in Pink" but they have a wonderful collection of great pop songs under their belt. Songs like "Heaven", "The Ghost in You" (both from the 1984 album, Mirror Moves) and "Heartbreak Beat" (from the 1987 album, Midnight to Midnight) are fun, but well written pop songs. Michael Stipe from R.E.M. once said the "Heartbreak Beat" didn't speak to him emotionally. It wasn't suppose to, these songs were meant to be fun. That is not to say that the Psychedelic Furs only wrote fluff. Their songs also dealt with a wide range of topics whether it be religion on "Imitation of Christ" (from the 1980 self titled debut) or politics on "President Gas" (from the 1982 album, Forever Now) or sexuality on "I Wanna to Sleep With You" and "Into You Like a Train" (from the 1981 album, Talk Talk Talk). 

The Psychedelic Furs released their last album in 1991 with The World Outside. Many critics said that the Psychedelic Furs went out in the 1980's when New Wave did. The World Outside did not show a slow down of the Furs even though it did not sell as well. "Until She Comes" and "Get a Room", from The World Outside, are in the same league with the earlier songs that the Furs are better known for. When the Furs disbanded after The World Outside, Richard Butler went on to form the highly underrated, Love Spit Love. It was gutsy for Butler to start a playing and writing again with a completely new band. Love Spit Love released two albums, their self titled debut in 1994 and Try Some Eat One in 1997. Love Spit released the brilliant but underplayed singles "Am I Wrong" and "Long Long Time" and faded away. 

In 2000, after almost ten years of not playing together, the Psychedelic Furs toured as the opening act with The B-52's and The Go-Go's. I was at the show in Cincinnati and it was one hell of a line up. Now, in 2001, the Psychedelic Furs are touring again in a headlining spot and are working on a new album. I was at the show on April 29 in Cincinnati and the Furs are back full force. The set includes old favorites such as "Love My Way", "Pretty in Pink" and "Heaven" while including obscurer songs from the past such as "India" and the song with the sexy drumbeat, "Sister Europe" from the debut album. (While on the obscure thread, I would have loved to have heard "Sleep Comes Down" from Forever Now in the set). There are also new songs in the set, the first since 1991. The show is a walk down memory lane but also a walk into the future. On the 1989 album, Book of Days, the Psychedelic Furs asked "Should God Forget" on the song by the same name. I am happy to say that the fans and God have not forgotten the Psychedelic Furs.

REVIEW: R.E.M.- REVEAL (June)

Reveal is not like any other R.E.M. album. Where as R.E.M.'s last album, Up, was a battle of the good (At My Most Beautiful, Why Not Smile, Walk Unafraid), the bad (Diminished, You're in the Air), and the mediocre (The Apologist, Sad Professor), Reveal is a more consistently good album from start to finish. R.E.M. is still experimenting with their sound but the songs on Reveal are more solid songs.

Reveal experiments the traditional pop song formula. The songs are melodic but they also experiment with traditional pop lyrics and instrumentation. The album opens with "The Lifting", an epic song where the keyboards in the music make you feel like you are soaring. "I've Been High" is a self discovery from doubt "I've been high. I've climbed so high, but sometimes life, it washes over" to realization "close my eyes so I can make my make-believe believe in me". "All the Way to Reno", the album's best track, is a twangy pop song, reminiscent of "Man on the Moon" from Automatic for the People, with the infectious chorus "you know what you are, you're gonna be a star". The album's first single, "Imitation of Life", has a lush string arrangement that is similar to the one on "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" from Automatic for the People. Michael Stipe's lyrics on this song, such as "you are the greatest thing since bread became sliced" and "that's sugar cane that tasted good, that's cinnamon, that's Hollywood" mock standard pop songs by being clever and cheesy at the same time. On "Summer Turns to High", the sweeping keyboards and Stipe's vivid picture of summer "with my bedsheet cape and sandals, circle citronella candles, summer's here" brings the listener back to a different time and conjure up fond memories of innocence. The bittersweet, "I'll Take the Rain" features a beautiful string arrangement and some of Stipe's best lyrics ever "I used to think as birds take wing, they sing through life, so why can't we...I'll take the rain". The album closes with "Beachball", an almost Latin song complete with a horn arrangement and the advice "this life is sweet, we're dancing in the street who knows who you might meet". 

The album's only weak point is on the songs "Disappear" and "Saturn Returns". The songs are too experimental and are just a dull point on the album. 

Reveal is a journey between nostalgia (Summer Turns to High) and realization (I'll Take the Rain, Beachball, I've Been High). Those fans who expecting another Document or Life's Rich Pageant will be disappointed. R.E.M. has matured a lot over the years, especially since drummer Bill Berry's departure. This maturity is evident on Reveal. Considering that most popular music is based on a tired formula for the "perfect pop song", it is refreshing that R.E.M. can after twenty years continue to reinvent themselves and release timeless, quality music.

COURTNEY LOVE: VOICE FOR THE STRUGGLING ARTIST OR GREEDY BITCH (July)

Courtney Love is taking on the music industry. Courtney Love has always been vocal about her dislike of the music industry. Last summer during the Napster controversy, she wrote an online essay stating that the real threat to musicians was not Napster but the restrictive contracts artists sign with the major record labels. She is now suing her former record label, Geffen Records, claiming Hole's last album, Celebrity Skin, was forgotten in terms of promotion by Geffen when they merged with Interscope Records. She wants Hole's contract with Interscope dissolved. This case, however, is more than a contract renegotiation case. Love is calling for an overhaul of the music industry. She is claiming that the music industry uses unfair contracts to prevent artists from dissolving contracts and from fair compensation to the artists. Most record contracts only promise an artist that the record company will release one to two albums while reserving the right to release as many as seven albums. This locks artists into long contracts without renegotiation. She wants stricter laws for reassignment clauses, which is where record companies can reassign an artist to another label. It was under a reassignment clause that Hole ended up on Interscope Records. She also wants the practice of paying royalties investigated. She claims that the record company are not paying royalties for albums given away by record clubs. 

I agree 100% with Courtney Love that the record industry is corrupt and a serious reevaluation of industry contract practices is needed. However, Courtney Love has lost credibility with me due to another lawsuit she has filed. Love has filed an injunction preventing the release of a Nirvana song, "On the Mountain", on an upcoming Nirvana boxset to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the release of Nevermind. Courtney Love is claiming to have complete control of the unpublished works of her late husband, Kurt Cobain, and Nirvana. She claims that Nirvana was Kurt Cobain's vision since he was the songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist for the band and that Nirvana bassist, Krist Novoselic, and drummer, Dave Grohl, have no right to the Nirvana catalog. Though Nirvana was primarily Cobain's work, Nirvana would not have existed without Novoselic and Grohl. Cobain could not have recorded or performed Nirvana's material without Novoselic and Grohl's work. Courtney Love's claims about Novoselic and Grohl are especially insulting since Love was never a member of Nirvana. Love is denying Nirvana fans of material just because of a personal dislike she has for Novoselic and Grohl. Love had no creative influence over Nirvana therefore she should have no creative control over the music. 

The hypocrisy is that Courtney Love is claiming to help musicians have rights in one lawsuit while she is denying Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl of their creative rights in another lawsuit. Love's call for accountability of the record industry is a noble cause but her attacks on Novoselic and Grohl are petty and motivated by greed and spite. Love is no better than the record executives who repeatedly cheat their artists. One has to also wonder if Love is motivated in her attack of the record industry by wanting fairer contracts or if she is just pissed off that her album didn't sell well and wants attention. I was never a Nirvana fan and I have been more likely to give Courtney the benefit of the doubt. But the hypocrisy of these lawsuits makes me believe more and more that Courtney Love is this generation's Yoko Ono. 

Sources: "Courtney Love vs. The Music Biz" by Fred Goodman, June 7, 2001, Rolling Stone
 "Legal Wrangle Between Nirvana and Courtney Love Delays Box Set Release", July 2, 2001, NME.com

REVIEW: THE GATHERING FIELD- SO CLOSE TO HOME  (August)

After seeing the Gathering Field in 1999, I declared that they were the best band you've never heard. The Gathering Field are back with their fourth album, So Close to Home. They still are one of the most underrated bands.

So Close to Home is a call for self discovery. On the album's rocking opener "Look Inside", vocalist Bill Deasy calls for the listener to "look inside, you will find, a hidden world of innocence and wonder" and concludes "just like you at one time, all I ever had to do was look inside". On the bittersweet, "Who We Are", Deasy calls for acceptance of others stating that "you can't change somebody with your love, no matter how right you are, we are who we are". The album's title track asks the listener to face demons from the past stating that "the past don't ever disappear, and to run's a losing game" and that there is "so much water, so close to home". In addition to self discovery, the album also examines the grander scheme of life. On "I Don't Know", Deasy ponders "what it's all about" and concludes "there are no fundamental answers, it's a mystery beyond my skills of deduction". 

One of Bill Deasy's strengths as a lyricist and what has made the Gathering Field's songs good, is his gift for storytelling. While the album addresses a lot of philosophical questions, the storytelling is not lost and is best evident on the album's ballads. On the beautifully sweet, "Fifty Lifetimes", Deasy tells the story a a man reflecting on a lost love proclaiming "if I traveled fifty lifetimes, I don't believe I'd ever find myself a more enchanting girl". On "The Absence of Her Smile", as the narrator's love leaves on the "7:30 Greyhound Bus", he ponders "I want to know, how to go about living in the absence of her smile". 

The music on the album is pretty mellow. I wish that there were a few more rockers on the album like "Look Inside". However, Bill Deasy's lyrics, as always, shine and make So Close to Home a worthy listen.

REVIEW: BETTER THAN EZRA- CLOSER (September)

Better Than Ezra is best known for their radio friendly pop songs, such as "Good" and "Desperately Wanting". While these songs are very good songs, Better Than Ezra's stand out songs lyrically have always been the more obscure songs such as the ballad, "Under You" from their last album, How Does Your Garden Grow. Better Than Ezra's new album, Closer, is a mixture of radio friendly songs and more subtle songs. 

The album's opening track, "Misunderstood" is a catchy pop tune about an aspiring actress in Hollywood. The album's first single, "Extra Ordinary", is a funky montage of quirky, pop culture references ("I've got more hooks that Madonna's got looks", "Just like that AC/DC song, come on baby, shake me all night long"). The song, which is similar lyrically to the Barenaked Ladies' song, "One Week", even references the band ("just like that Barenaked Ladies' song, I'm hot like wasabi when I'm next to your body"). "Rolling" is a sunny song about escape ("Want to hit the interstate in a Cadillac, And we're rolling.") 

As with some of Better Than Ezra's previous albums, the stand out songs on the album are the more subtle tracks. On the beautiful title track, the narrator contemplates the wonders of new life ("Closer than this life, Closer finally, Living for the only thing, You ever made complete, Oh, for the one thing, That you both did perfectly"). Frontman, Kevin Griffith's lyrics shine on this track much in the same way they did on "Under You" from the last album, which is one of the best written ballads ever. Another stand out track is the bittersweet, "A Lifetime". In the song, the narrator reminisces of a deceased friend remembering a time when "you were standing on the hood of the car, singing out loud, when the sun came up". Kevin Griffiith's bittersweet nostalgia is painfully beautiful. 

The album's only weak track is "Recognize". The band tries to experiment with a heavier sound and even brings in a DJ. The heavier sound just does not suit Kevin Griffith's vocals or the band's sound. 

Better Than Ezra proves again that they can write light pop songs while experimenting with the pop formula and writing more thoughtful lyrics. Closer does not disappoint.

REVIEW: TORI AMOS- STRANGE LITTLE GIRLS  (October)

What I have always liked about Tori Amos is the intimacy of her music. On her earlier albums such as, Little Earthquakes andUnder the Pink, the songs were simple but at the same time personal. I felt like Tori and I were having a cup of tea together and talking. This feel was lost on her last two albums, From the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back, in a cloud of big production and big band sound. 

Strange Little Girls is not an improvement. The album is a collection of cover songs, all originally performed by men, in which Tori gives the songs a female perspective. In the past, Tori has done some interesting covers, such as taking Nirvana's grunge hit, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and transforming it into a stark piano solo. Strange Little Girls is not a collection of such covers. Strange Little Girls is very disturbing in certain parts. In Tori's cover of Eminem's "Just the Two of Us", known as "'97 Bonnie and Clyde" on the album, Tori takes on the voice of the wife who is about to be thrown off a bridge by her husband while her daughter watches. The song is creepy and, to honest, down right freaks me out. Unfortunately, by covering this song, Tori is almost giving validity to Eminem's misogynist garbage. On the Beatles' "Happiness is a Warm Gun", Tori samples news footage from the day John Lennon was killed and gun commentary from the Reagan/Bush era. I read in an interview that Tori was taking on the voice of the prostitute Mark David Chapman visited before murdering John Lennon. Instead the song comes off as a cheesy commentary on gun control. One of the album's worst moments is the cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". Tori absolutely butchers a once beautiful song by putting it against artificial dance beats. 

The album does have a few good moments. On the covers of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" and The Boomtown's Rats "I Don't Like Mondays", Tori strips down the songs and makes them her own like she did on "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Tom Waits' "Time" is simple but beautiful. One of the more interesting covers, is Tori's haunting rendition of Slayer's "Raining Blood". 

The album's artwork features pictures of Tori dressed as the women each of the songs represents. It is almost like Tori had split personalities while making this album. The concept of giving a feminist perspective to masculine songs is a very interesting concept. However, it was done much better on Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville, a woman's answer to the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street. The album is not completely bad but nothing on this album really holds my interest like Tori's older material did.