Packed with blistering anthems and effusive ballads, Elliott Murphys 29th album ranks among his best, but you may have to play it several times to realize that. Nothing here seems likely to grab listeners as quickly as, say, 2002s hook-laden Come On Louann, and none of the rockers pack the immediate wallop of early gems such as Drive All Night. The new songs will definitely grow on you, though. Murphys vocals on the plaintive Losing It suggest hes one of rocks most underappreciated singers, and Olivier Durands guitar work throughout makes clear why Murphy has worked with him for so long. An occasional lyric sounds as off-the-cuff as Bob Dylans Clothes Line Saga, and a few lines seem as cryptic as those on Street Legal. But like Dylan, Murphy fills his songs with deft imagery and wordplay, and theyre interesting even when youre not entirely sure how they add up.
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