Julianas next album is radically different then her last three. It's like she had been listening to Carly Simon on an 8-track and decided to make a '70s soft-rock album.
Supposedly her record company didn't like it and refused to release it. (This is cataloged in the tome 'The Greatest Songs Never Sold, I need to get a copy!) Listening to it I can understand why, there really is no big single on here and I am sure the greedy execs wanted more cross-over hit songs in the vein of 'My Sister' and 'Universal Heart-beat'. There is nothing like that on here.
This is still a great album though. Heck, it may be my favorite of hers. Critics and hard-core fans would have loved it and I am sure it would have gone at least gold, fueled by some singles on just the alternative charts had it been released.
There are some nice relaxing soft-rock songs on here like 'Mountains of Love', 'Eye to Eye', and 'Don't Need a Reason'.
Then there are some real earnest attempts at rock like 'Perfection'. It is almost like Juliana had been listening to Linkin Park... years before they were around. 'Losing Your Looks' is in the same vein. Sadly these songs don't really rock.... is it because they are just boot-leg quality. Would full studio professionally mixed versions kick all possible ass as I suspect they would? It is questions like that which help to make this unique album intriguing.
There are two epic anthems on here: 'Can't Put Your Arms Around a Melody' and 'How Would You Know'. I could totally see thousands of fans chanting 'How Would You Know' at a concert! These songs kick ass and sound like they are out-takes from Dinosaur Jr.s excellent 'Hand It Over' album. Both of these tunes are very similar to J Mascis opus 'Alone' in my mind.
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