Is Patti Smith an anachronism
or can she be regarded as a genuinely important singer-songwriter. After
listening to this album the evidence is inconclusive.
Smith was a doyen of the
American punk scene and this album seems from another era. She snarls
dutifully, but really its all a little bit dated.
There are moments of power,
however, that save this one from a motiveless grave. Ironically the most
impressive track is "My Madrigal" a powerful and poignant ballad
that could be one of the great unfound gems of the last couple of years.
Overall it is solid without making any real steps forward.
