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Modest atmosphere, fearless honesty
The circularity of the modern rock ride is unnerving sometimes. The Blake Babies’ cult momentum brought Juliana Hatfield to the doorstep of Atlantic Records nearly 20 years ago, and you wonder if she would’ve flinched knowing that her 11th album two decades later would be self-recorded in a Cambridge bedroom.
If forced modesty is the hallmark of the current business model, at least Hatfield has the grace to pull it off without bitterness or recrimination. While her album shares its laptop atmosphere with many other troubadours plying Boston’s streets, it’s sprinkled with heavyweight pro touches that belie her deeper legacy. “Why Can’t We Love Each Other” is a simple, breathless should-be hit, and the tightly compressed guitar solo on “What Is Wrong” screams with a veteran’s assurance. “Evan,” her fearless ode to, yes, Evan Dando shows that Hatfield is not afraid to one-up spartan with naked—and beautiful.
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Finally a review that tells me something about the record and nothing about the reviewer.
I wouldn't call "Why Can't We Love Each Other" a 'should-be hit'--it just doesn't have that instant accessibility. And the "What is Wrong" guitar solo isn't exactly screaming. It's more...tapping you firmly on the shoulder, saying, "Excuse me, but I really need to speak with you for a moment." And then it does, and then it goes away. Which is really kinda cool. Sounds like the girl who sang "At least I know to come in from the rain" with such unbridled passion has grown up, and grown sadder.
Juliana has written TONS of songs that should've been hits (or bigger hits). But this album is not the place to go looking for them. The songs are repetitive, yet not very memorable. The lyrics are as simplistic as the music... and oh, her music used to be wonderfully layered, and her lyrics, so clever.
I know she's had a tough time, and is somewhat bitter about her career slowing down (playing in smaller clubs than she used to and so on), and I do sympathize. But Peace & Love sounds uninspired to me. Maybe the album was quickly knocked out at home to make easy money from loyal fans. Or maybe it's a genuine attempt to find more peace & love in her heart - it wouldn't be the first time she wrote something in an attempt to heal/convince herself to feel a certain way (as she admitted was the case with her song "Sunshine" from the album In Exile Deo.) But I can't help wishing Juliana would put her actual feelings into her songs again. These latest releases seem lacking in passion and sincerity. Rather than complaining in interviews/blogs/her book, I'd rather she channel any anger or discontent into creative work and make some kickass music again. Instead of these pretty sounding but ultimately bland, boring albums. And it's not that I have a problem with slower songs, per se. She's written beautiful heartfelt "ballads" in the past.
I must add that I'm sad to see Juliana exploiting her connection to Evan Dando in such an obvious way, to stir up interest and sales (and believe me, every review I've seen for this album mentions the song "Evan" as a selling point, as I'm sure she knew they would). After all those years of refusing to talk about him and and feed the press' gossipy speculation about their friendship/relationship/whatever it was. I respected her silence on that subject, and can't help feeling disappointed in her now. What's next? A song detailing when she finally lost her virginity?