| In 1993, when a bunch of famous artists underwrote VictoriaWilliams's multiple sclerosis treatments with the tribute albumSweet Relief, their show of support somehow transformed aneccentric singer-songwriter into a full-service musician. Williamsis a highly nondenominational Christian who grew up in Louisiana,and although macho men may turn up their noses at her kookypastoral epiphanies and Technicolor memories fey, she's findsclear-eyed strength in her weirdness when need be. On 1995'sLooseand the newMusings of a Creekdipper (Atlantic),her quavery voiceand associative structures are as fragile as ever, but the lyricismSweet Relief's cover versions emphasized is out there for all tohear.Loose has the more forthright tunes, but the melodies of thequieterCreekdipper reveal themselves soon enough, and the subtletyof the project renders its pleasures deeper in the end. Delicacycan be like that when there's sinew underlying it.
In these days of gone-tomorrow novelty one-shots the many casualfans who grew to loveTubthumping andWalking on the Sun mightsanely expect not much from Chumbawamba'sTubthumper(Republic/Universal) and Smash Mouth'sFush Yu Mang (Interscope).But they;d be wrong. In their very dissimilar ways, both albums arebrash and busy, tuneful and verbal--fun surprises like the singles,only less addictive.
Anyone who can't believe that a generation of yong Deadheads can bequite as addled as bigots believe should take comfort in the three-CDDozing at the Knick (Grateful Dead), which proves that for atleast one post-Nixon gig (Albany, New York, 1990) their permanentroadshow was as responsive and inspired as their fans expected,prayed, or claimed it was every night.Playboy, Feb. 1998
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