Sarah McLachlan – Surfacing (Arista) With the popularity of this summer’s Lilith Fair and the release of this album, Sarah McLachlan is finally being referred when people reference current superstars. Strangely enough, this album, which is already shaping up to be McLachlan’s biggest hit, is one of her weaker records. It may not be completely up … Continue reading
k.d. lang – Drag (Warner Bros.) k.d. lang’s new all-covers album springs from an admittedly slightly obscure premise – it is made up of songs that equate the act of smoking with a burning passion. This passion manifests itself in many different directions ranging from the passionate sorrow of “My Last Cigarette” to a completely uncampy survey … Continue reading
Matthew Sweet – Blue Sky On Mars (Zoo) For Matthew Sweet’s latest album, he has pretty much gone the one-man band route, playing most instruments on the album himself. This gives Blue Sky On Mars an even poppier sound than past albums. Re-upping with producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Neil Young) from Sweet’s last album, … Continue reading
Sarah McLachlan – Rarities, B-Sides & Other Stuff (Nettwerk) While McLachlan’s fans await a follow up to her 1993 breakthrough Fumbling Through Ecstasy, she releases a second stopgap to keep them happy. This limited-edition disk is mostly in existence, I suppose, for “I Will Remember You,” McLachlan’s hit theme from The Brothers McMullen. That beautiful ballad is on … Continue reading
Susanna Hoffs – Susanna Hoffs (London) It’s hard to believe it has been six years since the breakup of the Bangles, the pop girl group of the ’80’s. Since the breakup, Hoffs, the band’s leader, has kept a low profile. She did release a 1991 solo album, the slightly overly slick When You’re A Boy, … Continue reading
Marshall Crenshaw – Miracle of Science (Razor & Tie) In the five years since Crenshaw’s last album the music world has completely changed. It’s changed even more since he released his spectacular first album in 1982. He’s spent most of his career on the outside looking in, and Miracle of Science won’t change anything. Too bad because it’s … Continue reading
Sheryl Crow – Sheryl Crow (A&M) Crow’s self-titled second album seems to be a statement of purpose. Crow doesn’t like the folk-rock cover girl tag that was stuck on her with her popular debut, so she wants to rough it up a little. She has taken over the reins on this album and wants to prove … Continue reading
Jewel Portrait of a Young Artist by Jay S. Jacobs POPENTERTAINMENT.COM ARCHIVES-June 1996 We spoke with superstar Jewel Kilcher in June 1996, just as her first album Pieces of You was starting to explode. It’s a Sunday afternoon at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. Employees are rushing around setting up for this evening’s show. This is the … Continue reading
Bryan Adams – 18 ‘Til I Die (A&M) Okay, it was kind of funny a few months ago when Metallica tried to trick us into thinking they were grunge. But I have to draw the line if Bryan Adams thinks that he can pull it off. Being grunge is more than losing twenty pounds and not … Continue reading
Melissa Etheridge by Jay S. Jacobs POP ENTERTAINMENT.COM ARCHIVES – June 1994 – This interview took place soon after Melissa Etheridge released what was soon to be her biggest album ever, Yes I Am. The idea of the guitar God is one that has always seemed fall on the right side of the Y chromosome. Men … Continue reading
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