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Wednesday, April 28, 2004 |
CD Reviews
Lee Aaron
Beautiful Things
***
There’s something about rock acts proving their mettle as crooners and "real" singers. Robert Plant did it successfully in the ‘80s and the late Robert Palmer did it in the ‘90s with his Ridin’ High CD of old standards and soundalikes. Now famed ‘80s rock queen Lee Aaron has also switched horses.
Beautiful Things is Aaron’s second post-rock-pinup-babe CD since fleeing Toronto for the Left Coast. The last one, Slick Chick, was all jazz and blues – Beautiful Things is not, but her bio says it started out as one. The change shows.
A blend of pop, jazz, opera, gospel – and, yes, even a little rock – Beautiful Things sounds more like an exploration than a finished album.
But that’s not to say there isn’t good music to be found here. From the slow pop-piano ballad Joan of Arc to the cool, jazz-lounge sound of Private Billie Holiday to the plaintive, soulful title track, Beautiful Things proves there’s more to Lee Aaron than being an ‘80s big-hair sex-kitten Metal Queen.
Saleem Khan/Metro Toronto