Lisnaholic

Like all the albums we look at, I listened to Sleep It Off “blind” first. This time I had absolutely zero idea what to expect, and was blown away by the energy, clever lyrics and wild instrumental break of What’s A Girl To Do. Next up, Ticket To The Tropics sounded like Cristina plus band were enjoying a romp through some retro-pop style, with Cristina's lyrics stamping it with the same cynical attitude as the opening track.

The album didn’t/couldn’t maintain that high of course, but it did become the first album here to receive the honour of a Lisna download, so that I could play it in my car.

Generally, the songs were a little more hectic than I usually like, so I welcomed the ones that took the pace down a little: Rage and Fascination and The Lie of Love in particular. At first I thought that He Dines Out On Death, another slow one, owed a lot to a Felice Brothers song, but after checking dates I saw that, if anything, it would have to be the other way round.

Plenty of great tracks and lyrics full of clever surprises: lyrics of a kind I particularly like because they use simple conversational language. “Nobody says Grace. Nobody says “when” “ was one line that stood out to me, also “Everybody’s making jokes in French”. Great stuff! I also liked the songs that seemed to be openly confessional – which is why, conversely, I thought the covers were not so strong: Van Morrison’s Blue Money and Ballad of Immoral Earnings -which I liked even less when I discovered it was a Brecht/Weill song. (...Yes, I liked the album enough to check that Cristina was singing her own songs, and she scores very well for that: almost every track having at least a partial credit to her.) All of that notwithstanding, I also just loved the song She Can't Say that Anymore, with it's sly knowing lyrics. It totally fits Cristina's "tell-it-like-it-is" persona, but was written by Sonny Throckmorton, whoever he may be - so, Well-chosen, Cristina!

Although I have only checked out what I think is the 10-track original so far, a really good album: 9/10

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

SGR

Where did you find the original? Did you stream it?

ColleenLindsey

I hope it's ok

SGR

Whu....what's ok?

Marie Monday

Thank you for your concern????

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Lisnaholic

Nothing very sophisticated, SGR: I first listened to a YouTube clip that followed this running order (which I now suspect is the CD re-issue order, but without the bonus tracks):-

1 What's a Girl to Do
2 Ticket to the Tropics
3 The Lie of Love
4 Quicksand Lovers
5 Rage & Fascination
6 Ballad of Immoral Earnings
7 She Can't Say That Anymore
8 Blue Money
9 Don't Mutilate My Mink
10 He Dines Out on Death

Downloaded from this YouTube clip, which has the same 10 tracks, but in a different order (perhaps the original order ?):-


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXiD...LN0JvKZFxY4KLP

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Yeah, I hope so too, but now you've got me worried

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

jadis

Love this album, great fun

I've only known her from this single, which is really good too


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Xg...hehouseofusher

Marie Monday

Glad you both like it too! It's definitely good music to listen to in a car

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SGR

I'll have my review up shortly. This album is fun

Trollheart

My initial impression upon hearing this was "oh man I do not like her voice!" It's that sort of speak-not-sing sort of thing you got a lot with female punk singers like Toyah Wilcox, Lene Lovich and The Flying Lizards. The first two tracks I didn't like at all, and settled in for a sort of auto-pilot to thank god that's over.

Then the third track changed everything. Much more laid-back, almost acoustic sound and her voice was suddenly more in the slightly more mature rather than teenage mould, singing rather than kind of I don't know, pouting to the music? Anyway I liked it much better, and it pretty much improved from then on. I ended up listening to the full extended version, and though usually I wouldn't do that, it was well into it before I thought "this is a bit long for ten tracks!" and then realised, but I also realised I was hearing my favourite songs. "Smile", "Deb Behind Bars", the Prince and Van Morrison covers, all great, and the last track too.

But of those on the original album, I must say I liked "She Can't Say That Anymore" and "He Dines Out on Death" the best. Favourite overall is "Smile". Much better than I had thought or expected it would be, and as others have said, a fun album. Worth listening to a few times.

Rating: 8.8/10

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018