Luscious Jackson

Fever In Fever Out (Capitol)
by Joshua Brown

These four girls create songs that communicate to the Alanis-worshipping establishment as much as to folks who like to use words like “sample-heavy” or “sample-delic” to describe music. Luscious Jackson‘s latest hit, “Naked Eye,” could gain them recognition as the “new” (albeit more somber) Breeders. But there’s more to them than that. They use samples along with the traditional instruments which add a distinct flavor of urban electricity to the mix.

The contrast of this tension with the woozy, elegant melancholy atmospherics of their songwriting and vocals (performed by Jill Cuniff and Gabriel Glaser, with backing from keyboardist Vivian Trimble and cameo appearances from N’Dea Davenport of Brand New Heavies and Emmylou Harris) gives songs like “Faith” and “Soothe Yourself” a somewhat Portishead-like appeal, but less convincing and with a country twang and indie ethic. Looked at within the category of music created with samples, Fever In Fever Out lacks imagination. There’s nothing wrong with traditional song structures, but the sampler is too cool a toy not to use to its potential. The album’s strong points are the tangible rainy day ambience it produces, the honesty of its well-sung lyrics, and the clear but distant production whose attractiveness is akin to the sentimentality attached to black and white photography. Still, someone should sic the Dust Brothers on them.