I can remember very little from my childhood - especially ages eight through ten. There is no good reason for this, as I wasn't abused, run over by speeding buses, or any other such rot. Perhaps I simply just didn't have much of a brain - if that's the case, then not much has changed since then.
What I DO remember very clearly is the music I listened to in the late eighties. Back in those days I was seven, eight years old, listening to popular acts such as Stevie Nicks, Phil Collins, The Eagles, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Fleetwood Mac. Honestly, most music from the eighties that actually became popular here in America just plain sucked - if you don't believe me, put in a Tiffany or Debbie Gibson record.

Anyway, when I was seven, back in 1988, my mother turned on the radio and introduced me to Melissa Etheridge, a rock guitarist and singer who was brand new to the scene and enjoying a fair amount of success with her debut album - obviously the self-titled one that I am reviewing here.

Eventually Mom went out and purchased the cassette. Oh yes, the days before the simplicity and convenience of compact discs! It cost her something like seven dollars, which would be only God knows how many pounds in UK currency. (If anybody knows the conversion formula, if one exists, I would LOVE to know about it! This whole UK currency thing confuses me to no end.)

Melissa Etheridge launched one hell of a solid record as her introduction to the world. It is a simple recording - ten tracks of her very own songs, with very basic liner notes and cover art. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the liner notes means that all lyrics were crammed into the equivalent of one sheet of paper - they are in a 2-point font and, while neatly typed, are almost impossible to read.

However, that is really the only downside to this recording. I think she ought to have named it Lonely Hearts Club (or, perhaps) Dammit! It Happened Again! for the fact that this CD is all about broken hearts, losing lovers, and other similar pains. If you're looking for a positive and upbeat recording, skip this whole album. But, if you're searching for a bit more honesty encapsulated in a lightly-tinged dramaticism that MLE has mastered, go ahead and get it.

*TRACK LISTING*

01. Similar Features
02. Chrome Plated Heart
03. Like The Way I Do
04. Precious Pain
05. Don't You Need
06. The Late September Dogs
07. Occasionally
08. Watching You
09. Bring Me Some Water
10. I Want You

The award for Most Emotional Tracks goes to two winners: "Like The Way I Do," and "Bring Me Some Water." Both are supercharged with a light rage, not to mention strong sense of injustice at being dumped. Etheridge does not quite scream (as she does in later albums, much to my disappointment), but her voice is definitely on edge throughout these two songs.

"Nobody loves you...like the way I do...nobody needs you...like the way I do...nobody aches...nobody aches just to hold you..." This is the slightly-neurotic introduction to the chorus, which is lightning-fast and charged with raw emotion and a bit of regret:
"Tell me does she love you, like the way I love you / Does she stimulate you, attract and captivate you / Tell me does she miss you, existing just to kiss you / Like the way I do" Powerful. Intense. Emotional. If you hear NOTHING else, this and "Bring Me Some Water" are it!

"Bring Me Some Water" is a more popular Etheridge tune from her earlier career, often covered and done in duet form (Joan Osborne, for example, performed it with Melissa Etheridge a couple of years ago). It is a jagged song, with powerful rock guitar work but not overpoweringly so.
"Somebody bring me some water / Can't you see I'm burning alive / Can't you see my baby's got another lover / And I don't know how I'm gonna survive / Somebody bring me some water / Can't you see I'm out of control / Baby's got my heart, and my baby's got my mind / But tonight the sweet devil, sweet devil's got my soul." Ohhhhhhh yeah. The songwriter's upset is quite apparent on this one, I would say.

The most creative track is obviously going to be - you guessed it - "Occasionally." Etheridge wrote this song while seated behind the wheel of her car. She tapped out the rhythm with her fingertips, and then went into the studio to record. Instead of a band, she goes almost, but not quite, acapella. The only instrument on this track is her acoustic guitar, flipped over and laid across her lap so that she can thump on its back like a drum or bongo. This effect adds to the sullen and moody overtones of the song, and makes for quite a memorable track on the record.
"I'm only lonely after dark / I'm only lonely when I'm watchin' my T.V. / I'm only lonely occasionally."

Actually, I enjoy playing all of the songs, usually in a random order so that I can capture the full extent of the musical experience. This record sounds great no matter what order the tracks are played: Listening to them at random generally tends to open up new possibilites and bring different thoughts and feelings to the surface. That's a strange thing to say about a CD, I know, but in my case it is true.

All of the tracks are unique, and worth giving a listen to. The audio quality is slightly better than that of the compact disc's predecessor, the ancient cassette tape. You will hear light background noise, but not enough to serve as a distraction. The sound engineers who worked on this debut were obviously focused on creating a solid work that people would enjoy for years to come. I may not play this record often anymore, as I've owned it for over a decade, but it is still a very hot commodity where my personal CD collection is concerned. Etheridge may not have the longest shelf life in the universe, but she does very well - considering that this is her first work as a professional musician.

Again, I remind you that this CD is solely about heartbreak and loss. You won't find anything positive here: Even so, it is still inspirational, in the fact that it perfectly showcases the wide ranges of vocal and instrumental talent that Etheridge possesses. Her voice will remind listeners of the late Janis Joplin's for good reason - she's Melissa's favorite musician. You will hear plenty of old-school rock influences such as The Eagles in Melissa's guitar work, though it is still quite original and a bit refreshing in many instances. She can go from acoustic fingerpicking to scratch-guitar technique in a heartbeat, and has also been known to jam on her various electric models from time to time. Overall, she is brilliant, quite capable of creating beautiful music, and catches the listener's ear early on in this album. It's a wonderful record to play when you're feeling moody and sullen, though it is also a good example of less-than-popular musical stylings. Unfortunately, Melissa is just not that popular in the States anymore, though I will explain why in a later review.

I defintely recommend this album, if only because it is a nostalgic look back at the eighties, when heavy bass and straightforward guitar work were utilized. Etheridge may not provoke many thoughts in you, but she will definitely stir up the darker depths of your soul. And, of course, she just might entertain you.