Lucy Woodward "Hooked!"

       Lucy Woodward is an example of when an artist pulls a 180, but maybe that is an exaggeration. Her debut was similar to many female artists who wanted to appeal to fans of poppy (s)punk rock, and the dumb girls, that would lose themselves to gain mainstream attention. This album is her retract, if you disregard her 2008 album;  don't get all hot and bothered on me, did it sound like I was discrediting that album's worth? I cannot help what you end up thinking, but it was 90 degrees in the right direction, and this was another right angle; a perfect balance of intelligence, virility, and sexiness.  The rhythm is running to catch up to her man, did you hear? “He Got Away.” Backing vocals are heard of the fine gentlemen who are assisting Woodward in her pursuit of that man, but she sings “It's too late my baby's gone.” Yet, the horns and guitar are still adamant on helping; so sweet of them. She is more than ready to tango with the artist that is Peggy Lee, in her rendition of “Sans Souici.” If you have no desire to dance, then play it for someone else and see what they think. Anyone care to explain how this violin-reliant “Purple Heart” came to be? Besides lack of oxygen, but wouldn’t that turn blue instead? One of her most interesting covers would have to be in honor of Louis Prima; she sings “I Wanna Be Like You,” so what am I supposed to think? Maybe she prefers to just monkey around. The only problem is that energy is lost in translation in this reinterpretation.                             The dreaded love-triangle is a topic that will probably always be relevant, even though they are becoming more like quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, etc. I’m not sure if she likes the “Other Woman” more than you would a friend, it could be a misinterpretation, but it sounds like she's becoming bi; there's nothing wrong with that. Lucy is looking for more than a relationship, more than a marriage, and more than just one child; by the sound of it she would like a lot of them! The song is very cute though, but do we need another octo-mom? What if her name was Kate? Or even Nadya? After having all of those “Babies,” the period that follows ends up being a “Slow Recovery.” This song showcases Woodward’s sexy vocals, with a more refined pout; similar to early Madonna. The last track was just a warm-up, because this song turns up the appeal to eleven; with the brassy sassitude intact. The song proves that after the previous night, wearing sweats and clothes like a “Ragdoll” will not dilute the attraction one has for their lover. “This Empty Room” is a sexy horn-laden kiss-off, with a dreamy bridge, used to illustrate unclogging the arteries of all those hadened feelings; “I sit inside alone, piles of scattered memories surround me/Torn pieces on the floor, bags outside the doorway/If only I had a dime for every time I just didn't find my heart.” You have heard those clichés dealing with time constantly, but that is only because they are (often) true. Some people are so distracted by their feeling of insignificance, because they compare themselves to others too many times, that they may fail to realize they have “Too Much To Live For” to waste their life ( focused on self-pity).  As for the next song I will “Leave It To You” to form your own opinion. “Stardust” is one of those timeless compositions that defies the inevitability of getting older; Lucy’s version is a different perspective, but is just as timeless as the original. My Favorites: He Got Away, Sans Souici, Other Woman, Slow Recovery, Ragdoll, Too Much To Live For, and Stardust.