After an 11 year break, Annie Lennox is back, with the release of her third solo album “Bare”.
Annie, now an amazing 48, started her career way back in 1976, when she was a member of The Catch, together with Dave Stewart, her partner. They then formed The Tourists, and had a hit with “I only wanna be with you”.
Dave and Annie went on to form The Eurythmics, and after the release of “Sweet Dreams” they became one of the most successful bands of the Eighties.
In 1988, Annie married for the second time, but this marriage, as her first, was doomed to failure, despite giving Annie the joy of two daughters. Annie gave birth to a stillborn son before she had her two healthy children.
Annie released her first album Diva in 1992, followed by Medusa in 1995, but then took a career break, to concentrate on her daughters.
The cover of the album is pure Annie. Didn’t she always like to be different, and to shock? Bare is no exception. Annie photographed herself for the album, and she appears on the front, wearing no make up, with a strangely drawn, haunted look about her. She is ghostly white, apparently naked, wearing only a dog collar.
A thousand beautiful things starts with a harp, and is a slow song, with Annie’s voice at its best. Apart from keyboard and a slow drum, there is little else in the way of instruments to be heard. It’s an uplifting, although slow start to the album and points out that there are a lot of things to be happy about in the world.
"I thank you for the air to breathe
The heart to beat
The eyes to see again
(a
thousand beautiful things)
And all the things that's been and done
The battle's won"
My rating: 10/10
The beginning of Pavement Cracks has an almost U2 or Simple Minds like quality with the echoing keyboards. Another ballad and it begs the question, does Annie even need any instrumental accompaniment due to the power of her voice. However, the song gains momentum, with the drums and guitars quickening until Annie’s voice is pure Eurythmics style, before slowing down once more. This has a great 80’s feel to it and although slow, is a catchy number.
My rating 8/10
The Hurting Time half has you half worried that Kylie Minogue is going to burst into song with the opening sounding very similar to “Can’t get you out of my head”, but it soon pans out into harmonicas, drums and a Spanish guitar, and all public decency is restored. A slow song about the bad times in our lives and how frightening they can be with a melancholy, yet relaxing feel.
"Fears that you've been living with
Come running down your face
Running down your face
When the hurting time begins ..."
My rating 8/10
Honestly begins with a softly strummed guitar and you can only imagine that this track refers to Annie’s broken down marriage with its references to manipulation and control. The beginning has you fooled that this going to be another ballad, but it increases in tempo and the guitars are played with near ferocity, yet with Annie’s lyrics, you are again transported into reality and realise that the pretence at a rock track was just that.
"To make you notice me
I turned myself into a person that I didn't like
But please believe me when I say I know it wasn't right
But talking to myself
I never thought that things would
get to be so complicated"
My rating 8/10
Wonderful again uses the softly strummed guitar and is a ballad about falling in love with the wrong person, although the song does speed up, before reverting back to a slow mournful song. Again, this has strong Eurythmics influences and Annie’s used to its full potential.
My rating 9/10
Bitter Pill is a real change. It starts off with a great drum beat and guitar rhythm and although another song about anger and broken relationships, because the song is uptempo, it is really catchy. This is the most poppy styled track on the album and where I always think Annie comes into her own. The drum beat is constantly upbeat and the happy sounding backing vocals make this a top track. This must be a single release!
"Bitter pill to swallow
How can I abide
The taste of rage and anger
Burning me inside?
How the hell
Will it ever change?
Slowly driving me insane
Let me cover up this pain
Yes... bitter"
My rating 10/10
Loneliness takes us back to mournful and ballad style again. It is patently obvious by this time that Annie has had a rough few years, judging by the lyrics of the songs. Again, the song changes mood completely after the first verse, with the music becoming progressively faster and louder, and becomes a song of hope rather than regret.
My rating 9/10
There is no gap between the last track and the next, The Saddest Song. A ballad, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is released as a single. The riff is very similar to The Power of Love by Jennifer Rush in places, but don’t let that put you off. Although this is another song about past relationships, it is obvious here that Annie is making an effort to snap out of the doldrums and forge ahead.
"Darling are you healing
From all the scars appearing
Don't it hurt a lot
Don't know how to stop
Don't know hot it stops
Now there's no sense in seeing
The colours of the morning"
My rating 8/10
The tempo increases with Erased, which is the place on the album at which you know Annie has dealt with the demons and is becoming more positive about life. She is going to erase all the memories and start afresh. You can almost her the glee in her voice as realisation washes over her. Another great track with a great drum roll towards the end.
My rating 8/10
Twisted starts off similarly to Lucy in the sky with Diamonds by The Beatles. However, as soon as Annie’s voice comes in, the feeling changes. Another more mainstream track, and although the lyrics are quite negative in parts, this is a catchy track and about self belief.
My rating 8/10
It’s quite a surprise after the last few tracks, that the album finishes with the track Oh God. It is a prayer and half said, half sung, with Annie sounding at her emotional best and deals with all the troubles and tragedies she has suffered in her life.
"Dear god...
Oh how can I survive?
Will I make this drop this dive?
When it all comes to this
I'm looking down at the abyss
Where you don't exist
You don't exist"
The album is an original, with Annie writing all of the tracks contained on it. A far cry from her last offering “Medusa”, which featured many covers.
However, the album is a predominantly sorrowful offering, with many of the lyrics relating the pain and anguish of broken relationships and suffering. All that apart, after listening the album a couple of times, I was hooked. There are some great tracks on the album and Annie is like Madonna, timeless.
Annie’s haunting voice is back in my CD player, where it belongs. All we need now is for The Eurythmics to reform and I'll be a happy bunny.
01.07.2003 15:04
Will never forget seeing her in Eurythimics live in 1990 and being totally in awe of her strength and presence on stage, she simply takes your breath away with honesty, a great op thanks!
21.06.2003 23:43
I was a big Annie fan in the 90's, but I can't say I even knew she had released a new album!
21.06.2003 19:22
what sort of picture do you call that? yuck!:) -Jon