Martinis and Bikinis

Michael Tearson

Audio: June 1, 1994

Sam Phillips' third Virgin album may be her most seductive yet. Produced as always by spouse T-Bone Burnett, ornate and vaguely Beatle-esque touches enlighten Phillips' songs that are, by turns, cautionary and yearning. Often, I couldn't help singing along throughout the first listen. Burnett's production also integrates some psychedelic touches, such as a sitar and the backward tape effects in the irresistibly catchy Baby I Can't Please You. On careful listening, some arrangements seems to be based on specific licks: I Need Love recycles the George Harrison riff from If I Needed Someone, and the closer, a clangy jump-rope rhythm take of John Lennon's Gimme Some Truth, is offbeat and lots of fun. But you could say the same about the whole album. Key players include David Mansfield and XTC's Colin Moulding.



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