Album Reviews

No sound enhancement, whether it's SACD or 45rpm half-speed mastering will solve the problem of Patricia Barber's brand of torchy, “modern cool,” if you don't go for it in the first place. I dig it, your reaction may be different.

Mo-Fi has issued the back catalog on SACD and now the 45rpm boxes are coming, with this one about to be released (as of June, 2005), whileNightclub and Café Blue are already available.

I'd say if you had to have one set, this one from 1998 would be the one to have. It's a Jim Anderson studio recording and that's always a good place to begin, but beyond the sound, this, her follow-up to Café Blue may be Barber's strongest outing overall. Her self-penned tunes are witty and memorable, the covers are effective, and the band is lock-step, behind spare, gleaming arrangements. Plus you get guest star trumpeter Dave Douglas as well-recorded as you're likely to hear him.

Barber's sultry style doesn't suit all jazz tastes, and it could be argued that she's recently hit a creative dead end and descended into shtick—or worse, self-parody, but on this set, she hits a peak on all fronts.

John McLean's chorused guitar, Barber's steamy keyboard lines and smoky vocals, Michael Arnopol's nimble walking bass lines and of course where applicable, Douglas's charging brass produce plenty of shivers, aided by Anderson's pristine, transparent production.

The loping opener, “Touch of Trash,” sets the musical template for Barber's explorations, with her word-play as evocative as anything she's written. If you don't respond to that, you can write-off the entire album.

While her foray into Arabic singing on side two's “Constantinople,” won't cause Dead Can Dance's Lisa Gerrard to lose any sleep, Barber pulls it off, aided by deft musicianship all around, including some juicy udu playing by guest Jeff Stitely, impeccably captured by Anderson.

Barber's “Light My Fire” cover may cause some to gag (she pulls it off for me), but from there it's smooth sailing, with Barber compositions “Silent Partner,” “Company,” and “Let It Rain,” capturing and sustaining the album's end-of-the-century ennui to perfection. A cover of Paul Anka's “She's a Lady” is campy and cool. The side ends with the moving “Loveput On Your Faces,” based on an e.e. cummings poem and backed by a gospel choir, in honor of Barber's sister who'd lost a battle with cancer shortly before the record was made.

Side 5's “Postmodern Blues,” is the true album closer, with a short “Let It Rain,” reprise and a cover of “The Fool on the Hill” acting more as encores. Side 6 is blank. Don't use it to set your anti-skating.

Way back before buying Mobile Fidelity, Music Direct issued a 180g edition of Modern Cool, cutting 4 songs to make it fit. With this issue, analog lovers get the full line-up found on the SACD. If the 21st Century has you down, Barber's end of the 20th musings will commiserate.

An easy set to recommend for both music and sound, though the $60 price of admission is rather steep.

The boxed packaging is sumptuous and well-presented, the sound is dramatically fine, and the music stands up to repeated listening, so it's an investment well worth making if the music suits your taste.