Eddi Reader - Simple Soul

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Music reviews of Simple Soul

Music Review: The Soul of Eddi Reader
Rating: 5 Stars

This first CD of two (a forthcoming release tentatively entitled 'Driftwood' will contain 12 songs that didn't fit on 'Sister Soul'), Eddi spends much of her time dancing about the 'immortal intangibles' -- dreams, luck, imagination, spirits, emotion, religion, magic, and, of course, the soul -- intermixed with the unshakeable feeling that something is missing.

On the upbeat and highly-catchy "The Wanting Kind," Eddi asks her never-satisfied, never-content subject, "What does it take to make you happy?" The plaintive "Footsteps Fall" laments the pain of enduring loneliness while being able to hear the happy couple next door: "And the loneliest sound of all/Is the sound of love/Through a stranger's wall." She finds herself in the role of Eve in the earlier of two Eden-oriented songs, "Adam," cooing, "Adam baby don't you look so sad/How we gonna miss what we never really had?" And on the title track she wistfully dreams of a simpler life, where she'd be "Not too complicated to shiver when I'm cold/I'd make my home where I am bound/If I had a simple soul."

Unlike her last effort, 'Angels and Electricity,' there is no leap-out-at-you radio track (i.e. "Prayer Wheel") disrupting the album's flow. Indeed, 'Sister Soul' moves elegantly from one track to the next, letting the listener drift along at a relaxing pace. While that doesn't keep the most radio-ready song, the secular-yet-spiritual "I Felt A Soul Move Through Me," from shining just a little brighter than the rest on the first listen, it's pretty clear that Eddi's learned to be a shade less conspicuous about potential singles.

"Simple Soul" won't disappoint longtime fans; she's been making near-perfect music for years, and the trend continues here. On the other hand, there isn't anything different here designed to increase her fanbase, not that coming up with quality material has never been Eddi's problem. Giving the masses an opportunity to hear what she has to offer -- that's the real problem.

A humble suggestion -- seeing how the careers of Aimee Mann and Elliott Smith have taken off, perhaps Eddi should put together a movie soundtrack. She would clearly be up to the task, and -- Hollywood, are you listening? -- lately Oscar loves seemingly new musical discoveries.

Description of Simple Soul

Alternative Rock CDs

• Music > Styles
• Folk
• Pop
• Rock