- Label
- RCA
- Release date
- 1st October 2007
- Genre
- Pop
The porcelain-voiced ice queen returns with sturdy, if unspectacular fourth solo album
Such an album title could make you thinking Annie Lennox has decided to go heavy metal. In truth, the ex-Eurythmics singer has changed her focus from the introspective tales of her divorce-dissecting previous album Bare. Now, her gaze has turned outwards towards the plight of women across the globe, as well as the state of the planet in general. As a result, Songs Of Mass Destruction packs something of a punch within its mixture of rhythmic soul pop and brooding ballads – all, of course, underpinned by that impeccably smooth voice.
Lennox has actually never sounded better. But as was the case even during her Dave Stewart days, those silken tones always feel better suited to her downtempo tales of painful longing than her upbeat, joyous moments. Dark Road and Big Sky are crescendo-packed melancholic anthems, bursting with yearning, that stand out – as do the haunting, piano-led laments of Lost and Fingernail Moon. The key track however is Sing: written to raise awareness about mother-child HIV transmission in Africa, it features 23 of the world’s biggest female singers (including Madonna, Aretha Franklin and Joss Stone) and is a gospel-tinged joy. But despite its solid pop credentials, you still feel Lennox is not quite utilising her full armoury.
More to try: Annie Lennox: Bare Kate Bush: Aerial Sarah McLachlan: Surfacing
