After 2008's well-received How To Walk Away, Juliana Hatfield rebelled against having producers,
and made last year's Peace & Love all on her own, at home, but the more downbeat record didn't receive
the same kind of praise, leading the singer/songwriter to publicly talk (to QRO
- QRO interview) about abandoning the music industry in favor of
getting her masters.But some
sold-out gigs with long-time collaborator Evan Dando (QRO photos together) brought her back, and just as the internet taketh
away from musicians in illegal file-sharing, it also giveth - Hatfield was able
to raise all she needed & more to make another record via donations on
Pledgemusic.com.And she nicely
mixes her styles on There's Always Another Girl.
Hatfield has rockin' moments, pretty alt-folk, sad
singer/songstress, and even straight-up country on Girl."Taxicab" is a great rockin' number, while "Candy Wrappers" is a fun
piece that shows Hatfield doesn't have to be weighty.Indeed, Girl
is best when she lightens up a bit, or least gets wry, such as in the otherwise
wistful look back at "Change the World", neat little procession "Sex and
Drugs", and kiss-off "Batteries".
Contrastingly, Hatfield can sometimes be too serious for her
own good.The single/title track
was originally called "There's Always Another Girl (Song for Lindsay Lohan)",
in defense of the starlet & commentary on media fascination with her
declining career, and what could be a some moving alt-folk is weighed down by
the singer's tendency to preach.Similarly, darker attempt "Someone Else's Problem" is too slogging,
while "Vagabond" is too swaying.But there is some nice out-and-out country in "Stray Kids" and "Wasting
Time".
Doing everything on her own has worked better for Juliana
Hatfield this time, though at fourteen tracks, There's Always Another Girl could have used a bit of pruning ("Don't Wanna
Dance", "Failure", and "Thousands of Guitars" all feel like lesser versions of
the song immediately before each, "Taxicab", "Stray Kids", and "Wasting Time",
respectively).But it's a welcome
continuation from an artist with a strong coterie of fans.
Click here for QRO's interview with Juliana Hatfield
After 2008's well-received How To Walk Away
Fueled with Voodoo Doughnuts, Alcoholic Faith Mission
delivered to a rockin' crowd in Portland.
Those lucky enough to
enter the House of Blues Boston took a spacey journey
that felt like one long dream starting with opening act I Break Horses.
The student-filled O2 Academy in Manchester started heaving
forward the instant the visual art showed "The Cribs" on the backdrop.
