 |
|---|
Back Issues
Reviews
Divine Discontent
Sixpence None The Richer
Word Entertainment LLC
© 2002
Review by Jo van Leerdam
Several years after the album that launched their hit single “Kiss Me”,
Divine Discontent offers pop-guitar brilliance and the distinctive
vocals of Leigh Nash. While the vocals are good, her diction is not
always clear, so the absence of lyrics in the cover notes proved to be a
point of frustration.
The songs are poetic reflections on life in this world, and how we can feel when confronted with loneliness, hurt, or the horror of the evening news. The tunes are catchy and enjoyable, with enough hooks to get you listening but not really enough to make you a devoted fan (unless you already are one). The cover of “Don’t Dream It’s Over” is, in my opinion, superior to the original by Crowded House. Leigh Nash injects an almost eerie quality into her delivery of the poignant lyrics. “A Million Parachutes” is another outstanding track, expressing longing for loved ones far away.
That being said, there are a couple of tracks that I just cannot get into. I am not impressed with the cover of Lifehouse’s “Waiting on the Sun”. I don’t think the “light-pop” treatment suits the song. “Paralyzed” is a war-protest song that almost brings the album to a halt. It just doesn’t fit stylistically with the rest of the album, although there isn’t much cohesion in style from one song to the next anyway.
Two tracks short of being a good album, Divine Discontent is thought provoking and enjoyable enough if somewhat alternative pop is your scene. I think it’s probably one of those CD’s that grows on you the more you listen to it, and the more you think about what the songs are communicating. I certainly like it more now than I did when I listened to it the first time.
Preview clips from the album are available at
www.sixpence-ntr.com but you may need to listen to it more carefully to
do it justice.
Return to top of page
Books
Music
Movies
All material on this site © 2004 Trowel & Sword