The fourth album from self-produced, self-recorded and, most interestingly, self-packaged anti-folk songstress Diane Cluck shows off her unique talents, but falls flat doing so. Cluck seems to have a voice that if backed into a corner can do great things, but consistently falls short of its true potential. The disc is lyrically, musically, and vocally uninspired, a disappointing turn-out for such a full-of-potential, independent, anti-folk songstress.
The disc starts off with “All I Bring You Is Love,” which, while bordering on whiny, shows off Cluck’s ability to use her voice in a different and interesting way. The song ends up as sterile as the rest of the disc, but shows what Cluck is truly capable of. Midway through, “Sandy Ree” gets musically close to being unique and inspired, but comes off feeling like it would have been a much better track heard live. The disc continues with near boring, unimaginative efforts including the spoken word poem “Petite Roses.”
The effort on the disc shows a clear independent spirit reminiscent of major folk divas, but that effort should have been focused entirely into developing lyrics that inspire and complement Cluck’s voice instead of the handwritten packaging. Throughout the disc the lone guitar, which at moments lacks passion like the rest of the disc, shines when it is at its hardest strumming. With the potential for a real fine disc and the, at times, interestingly hard guitar, Cluck’s vocals shine when they too are gritty. This grittiness is what lacks from the disc, making it less inspired and duller than what Cluck seems capable of.
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