Melissa Etheridge – Breakdown

Artist: Melissa Etheridge

Title: Breakdown

Label: Island

Rating: 7/10

Track #

1. Breakdown Etheridge’s raspy twang ropes you in. Rating: 8/10

2. Angels Would Fall The verses float and the chorus crashes without warning, but with much delight. Rating: 7/10

3. Stronger Than Me Cookie cutter track. Rating: 5/10

4. Into The Dark Steady poetic verses that catch your ear and imagination. Rating: 6/10

5. Enough Of Me The verses take some time to get rolling, but the chorus kicks up dust and brings it home. Rating: 7/10

6. Truth Of The Heart Ballad. Sounds too familiar. Rating: 5/10

7. Mama I’m Strange Meat and potatoes. Rock from start to finish. Rating: 7.5/10

8. Scarecrow The coolest title and the coolest rock track. It’s a shame that the chorus doesn’t hold up its end. The verses steal the show with an Alanis-ish march. The coda finally makes up for the weaker chorus. Rating: 7/10

9. How Would I Know Etheridge wears her heart on her sleeve. Sweet and sappy, just what you want out of a ballad. Rating: 7/10

10. My Lover See track #9. Rating: 6/10

11. Sleep Beautifully entrancing. Rating: 8/10

I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that Melissa Etheridge’s latest release is full of emotion. It breathes of it. And for all of the open wounds there are those that have healed. You can feel Etheridge’s emotion, always one of the most appealing things about her albums. Breakdown may be the title, but the album is just the opposite. It’s solid.

+ charlatan