Lawrence wrote: Ehh, I have to dispute "Broken English" though. The album isn't really perfect and Faithfull didn't write as many songs as Nico did on most of her albums. Stuff like "Brain Drain" -- I mean that's fairly likable but a bit cheesy new-wave boogie, really... And what's she doing with a Shel Silverstein song? (Not even one of his better ones...)
I know what you mean.
The record is more than the sum of its parts and I just take the cheese to be part of the autobiographical thrill (she probably really liked The Vibrators and 999) and the songs tell her story really well even if she didn't write them. Like say "Dusty In Memphis". Personally I think her "Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is really evocative. It's not "A Boy Named Sue" but then MF was heading into the uncertainties of middle age herself which is why her broken voice resonates so gorgeously with that lyric.
All in the ear of the beholder of course.
|