Music Review

22 November 2008 04:04 BST

Annie Lennox: Songs of Mass Destruction

Sony BMG, out October 1st 2007.

In a nutshell…

Varied. Subtle. Tackles the issues.

What's it all about?

A selection of 11 tracks is presented, each with its own clear identity - including the Aids-awareness effort Sing, featuring a backing choir of 23 big industry names such as Dido and Joss Stone.

Mostly upbeat tracks are interspersed with more mellow interludes, allowing Lennox to display the vocal talents which have made her arguably one of the most respected performers of her era.

Even Sing itself manages to sound positive and does little to detract from what is, for the most part, an uplifting album - and the blend of styles from start to finish ensures the listening experience does not plateau at any point.

The collection also successfully avoids self-indulgence, with Lennox's vocals set pleasingly aside well-paced backing tracks and not overpowering the contributions of the supporting singers.

Who's it by

Annie Lennox has achieved dual success both as a solo artist and as part of the Eurythmics, in which she took an equal role alongside Dave Stewart, a collaboration which led to some 75 million records being sold worldwide.

More recently, Lennox provided the vocals for Into the West, the closing theme to the Lord of the Rings trilogy and winner of the Academy Award for Best Song in 2004. A second recording, Use Well the Days, was issued with the special edition of the soundtrack to Return of the King, despite not appearing in the cinematic release.

As an example…

"I've tried to blend in/But it seems I don't belong/I don't know what it's comin' to/But I'm looking through the glass darkly" - Through the Glass Darkly

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

Lennox's award-winning form may well continue - her vocals, while well-balanced, are very much in evidence and the addition of an awareness-raising effort rarely hurts.

There is little truly groundbreaking among the 11 songs, but that again gives little reason not to reward what is a well-balanced and well-judged collection.

What the others say

"A grand album that captures Annie Lennox in her gospel-belting glory, Songs of Mass Destruction is a refreshing return to form." - Variety

"Not necessarily a control freak's dedication to perfection of her craft, but rather a devotion to ordering her life around things that matter to her." - BBC

So is it any good?

If Songs of Mass Destruction does win any awards, it won't be for venturing into new territory. Saying that, it is good to hear Lennox singing upbeat vocals again and the general tone of the album is quite satisfying - there is little opportunity to wallow in self-pity, despite the tracks tackling some major themes.

Giving each song a clear identity - right down to including its own typeface on the inlay card - is also a nice touch which further highlights the variation included in this selection of music.

I would say there's a good chance of this being listened to beyond mere reviewing purposes - and would make a decent gift for anyone at a loss as to what to buy in the run-up to Christmas.

7/10

Bob Bardsley