Annie Lennox : Releases >>
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Diva >>
Although traces of her synthpop roots certainly showed through, Annie Lennox's solo debut, Diva, made it abundantly clear that her new material would veer away from gender-bending robotics of the early Eurythmics sound and continue towards the more emotionally grounded soul of later releases. On Diva, Lennox infuses each song with tenderly perceptive lyrics, hypnotic rhythms, and irresistibly soulful wailings. Her arrangements are clean and simple, utilising bare instrumentation and sometimes-languid chord work. The singles "Walking on Broken Glass", "Little Bird", and "Why" became radio mainstays, while gems such as the Eastern-influenced dream ballad "Primitive", the hauntingly autobiographical pop-lament "Legend in My Living Room", and the cheerfully satirical "Keep Young and Beautiful" gave the album a plump maturity. --Sally Weinbach
Medusa >>
Post-Beatles, the virtues of deft song interpretation have been consistently devalued in favour of self-contained composer-performers, seldom more so than in the initial response to this sequel to Annie Lennox's triumphant solo debut, Diva. That album's gripping originals deserve acclaim, but the lush Scottish alto remains one of the most riveting pop singers of the past two decades, and this smartly chosen, meticulously arranged collection of cover versions boasts its own abundant charms in her selection of obscure gems and bona fide classics from Al Green, Procol Harum, Neil Young, the Clash, the Temptations, Paul Simon, Bob Marley, and the Blue Nile. The songs are the rightful stars here, and Lennox brings passion and nuance to a set that plays beautifully. From the cinematic heartbreak of "No More I Love Yous" to the faithful recreation of the Blue Nile's "Downtown Lights", this is ravishing pop. --Sam Sutherland
Songs Of Mass Destruction >>
Menacing as they sound, the songs of mass destruction gathered on Annie Lennox's fifth solo disc don't manage to so much as nick the gorgeous instrument she's built her career on. Weaving artfully as ever around the contours of songs that suggest the worst--Lennox is world-wise and therefore maybe inevitably world-weary--she imparts gravity and grace in a voice as cloudless and surface-smooth as just-brewed mint tea; from the tentative beginnings of the mournful "Dark Road" to the gospel-bottomed gorgeousness of "Ghosts in My Machine," she's in full command of her considerable vocal powers. And it's possible she's never used them to such moving effect on a single record. Earlier Lennox or Eurythmics albums might have succumbed here and there to slight-seeming experiments in style, but Songs of Mass Destruction doesn't dilly-dally. All swerves, even playful ones (see "Love Is Blind" and "Coloured Bedspread," a synth-y song that wouldn't seem so out of place on a recent Madonna record), are on-message: "Womankind" busts wide open not only because it needs to (a voice this big can't be contained, it reminds us), but to demo empowerment, and the hopeful "Sing" signs off with a seconds-long African guest vocal. There's an upside to the destruction of cultural wellness that led Lennox to write this record, and it's artistic creation. Songs of Mass Destruction is a sterling, rock-solid, expert example. --Tammy La Gorce
Bare >>
Bare, Annie Lennox's first album of original songs in 11 years, is a stylish tour de force that showcases the former Eurythmics chanteuse in all her chilly, shimmering splendour. Her formidable voice is still a supple and intriguing instrument, lithely shape-shifting between emotions, personas and musical forms. Lennox moves effortlessly from the sparse and pristine lament of "A Thousand Beautiful Things" to the deceptively simple "Pavement Cracks", a solemn ballad that is transformed by electro dance beats that recall some of the best of the Eurythmics. But Lennox's quixotic voice is best utilised as an old-school soul instrument; she makes a metaphorical journey to Motown on "Hurting Time", a reflective ballad that could have been lifted off a Miracles album. "Honesty" finds the Scottish diva at her well-mannered best, occupying the sophisticated space formerly held by Carly Simon. --Jaan Uhelszki
Diva >>
Although traces of her synthpop roots certainly showed through, Annie Lennox's solo debut, Diva, made it abundantly clear that her new material would veer away from gender-bending robotics of the early Eurythmics sound and continue towards the more emotionally grounded soul of later releases. On Diva, Lennox infuses each song with tenderly perceptive lyrics, hypnotic rhythms, and irresistibly soulful wailings. Her arrangements are clean and simple, utilising bare instrumentation and sometimes-languid chord work. The singles "Walking on Broken Glass", "Little Bird", and "Why" became radio mainstays, while gems such as the Eastern-influenced dream ballad "Primitive", the hauntingly autobiographical pop-lament "Legend in My Living Room", and the cheerfully satirical "Keep Young and Beautiful" gave the album a plump maturity. --Sally Weinbach
Songs Of Mass Destruction 2CD >>
Sing: Remixes >>
Little Bird/Love Song For A Vampire >>
1. Little Bird, 2.Love Song For A Vampire, 3. Little Bird (Utah Saints Version), 4. Little Bird (N'Joi Version)
Bare [CD + DVD] >>
Bare, Annie Lennox's first album of original songs in 11 years, is a stylish tour de force that showcases the former Eurythmics chanteuse in all her chilly, shimmering splendour. Her formidable voice is still a supple and intriguing instrument, lithely shape-shifting between emotions, personas and musical forms. Lennox moves effortlessly from the sparse and pristine lament of "A Thousand Beautiful Things" to the deceptively simple "Pavement Cracks", a solemn ballad that is transformed by electro dance beats that recall some of the best of the Eurythmics. But Lennox's quixotic voice is best utilised as an old-school soul instrument; she makes a metaphorical journey to Motown on "Hurting Time", a reflective ballad that could have been lifted off a Miracles album. "Honesty" finds the Scottish diva at her well-mannered best, occupying the sophisticated space formerly held by Carly Simon. --Jaan Uhelszki
No More I Love You's [CD 2] >>