Terry Smith wrote:
> I was listening to Kelly Willis' record, "Bang Bang," in
> the car today, and remembered why it never hit me that hard back when I
> bought the thing. Maybe it's Tony Brown's production, but it just seemed
> as if the tunes were sort of calculated, not a good fit, and the
> instrumental mix was real thin.
> ...
> Anywho, sounds like she's finally managed to call most of
> the shots on a record; I gotta get it.
After living with this record and play it on and off for most of a month,
my biggest impression is that the gal needs a good producer.
Yes, the sound of the band is better than that limp, thin sound she had
behind her on "Bang Bang" and "Kelly Willis." This is an album with a
bigger sound. But it's not always an interesting sound. Sometimes the
arrangements and sometimes the textures are disappointingly samey. As if
she laid down a hot vocal track and then there's a blank for "insert
musical background here."
The song choices are often weak. A couple of the originals are good, but
I get to wishing there was a producer there to separate the wheat from
the chaff. If she were just an average vocalist, I probably wouldnt
mind, but damn, that voice could be used on better material. Is it any
wonder that so many people on the list have preferred the cuts she's had
on various compilations, like "Truck Stop Girl"?
This album is a big step forward but it still suffers from those same
problems Terry mentioned with "Bang Bang." I still think she's got a much
better album in her somewhere, if only some producer could help her focus
to draw it out.
Will Miner
Denver, CO
