Impossible Princess in Bloomington, MN

By 1997, much of the
pop
music landscape had changed. The music papers were declaring the "
Techno
Revolution" was on,
Oasis
and
Manic Street Preachers
were ruling the charts, and simple
dance-pop
seemed to be the domain of teenage girls. So what does the
diva of the '90s do? She recruits
'
James Dean Bradfield
,
Sean Moore
, and
Nicky Wire
, starts writing unaided, and completely changes musical direction. Enter
Kylie Minogue
's
Impossible Princess
(the title was changed to
after the death of
Princess Diana
). From the trippy cover art to the abundance of guitars and experimental vocal tracks, this was her "great leap forward." The move got her in the papers, but, unfortunately, critical acclaim was lacking (and so were sales). Critics called it a mistake, and the public was less than impressed. Which is sad, because this is a pretty damn good record. Unlike her early work, this album sounds stronger and has a more natural feel. Her songwriting abilities have come a long way, and
actually flows together as an album. Worth another look. ~ Chris True