Transcending pop music and carrying its kitsch qualities beyond the formulaic is a task worth applauding. Sam Phillips does this with a graceful mix of cynicism, bouncy rhythms and subtlety on "Omnipop," her fourth Virgin release. With tracks like "Entertainmen," "Plastic is Forever" and "Slapstick Heart," tongue-in-cheek style is taken to a new level.
This is a change from Phillips' stint in contemporary Christian music which ended in 1987. "Omnipop" teams her with her producer / husband T-Bone Burnett who manages to craft a multi-layered production of humor, stereotypes and relationships. Phillips' smoky voice combines with trombones, bongos and guitars to create a playful oldschool pop vocal sound. Swingin' might be the perfect word for tracks like "Power World," "Zero, Zero, Zero" and "Slapstick Heart." All 12 tracks are mini-stories in themselves, with lines like, "She married a gold mine with a time bomb" and "Look at how they've washed your brain down the info TV drain," pop culture is a central figure in Phillips' lyrics.
"Help Yourself" is one of the most introspective songs on the album. Phillips combines clarinet, bass, French horns and trombones to create a smoky musical back drop for the bittersweet lyrics "You watch my lips like a pair of wrists that have never been slit." Morrissey anyone? The last track on "Omnipop," "Slapstick Heart," is a collaboration between Phillips and R.E.M. Phillips added her own melody to the instrumental B-side the band sent to her. The maracas, percussion and harmonium is a weird enough mix to make the song come alive.
"Omnipop" is a unique experiment in blending all different forms of pop music together. From catchy hooks to quirky lyrics, from bitter to sweet, it's just plain fun. Phillips mixes a tasty cocktail of emotion and wackiness with a twist of cynicism that gives the album just the kick we all need.
- Shannon O'Neill
Sam Phillips looks sassy.
Jennyanykind is just what the world needs: An indie rock group of Bob Dylans, complete with blues and folk influences and lots and lots of religious references. "Revelater" is Christian rock done right, because the first few times you listen to it you have no idea it is Christian rock; this album is just too damn good. Jennyanykind is so cool they don't even thank God or Jesus in the liner notes.
The disc sets up its religious theme with the first two songs "repent in time" and "revelation in practice room #13." Then it kicks into "you better get right with god," a balls-out Velvet Underground-esque rocker about the lead singer hanging out with God. The band moves from there into the first single, "when the sun shines down on the average," a bouncy classic rock tune that would make even the most heathenistic of us pump our fists toward heaven.
What really sets jennyanykind apart from the current slew of bad alternative Christian rock bands is its total willingness to make no sense. In the album's title cut, the lead singer keeps repeating "I know what truth is," but he doesn't bother to come out and say, "worship Jesus and you'll know too," or anything to that effect. Jennyanykind refuses to be pigeonholed, jumping around from God songs to girl songs to I-don't-know-what songs, keeping the music interesting all the while.
"I'm a great opportunist / and cartoonist / believe it" the band sings in "the great deceiver." I can't say I've ever seen any of jennyanykind's cartoons, but I, for one, am a believer.
- Jeff Dinsmore