The Bride Stripped Bare

When , front-cover model on 's , left for , his response was this interesting album, not a full success but by no means a washout. In part returned to the model of his solo work before , with half the tracks being covers of rock and soul classics. Thus, (which arguably sounds like a strong influence on ' near contemporaneous version) and even the among others, take a bow. Unfortunately 's backing performers, mostly drawing on studio pros like , don't seem to have the real affinity for the material like his earlier solo-effort cohorts did. If anything, though, there's also the sense of channeling his romantic gloom through a number of the songs, giving them a strong personal bite. The guitar and bass-only version of the traditional folk tune works best of all, its lovelorn sentiments and slow pace connecting just right. As for 's originals, his sentiments are all the more clear, right from the abbreviated charge of the opening its fractured sentiments of disturbed, vicious romance matched by the clipped punch of the music and 's own brisk delivery. The other originals don't cut quite so bloodily, but the sense of loss and confusion is all there, from the opening line "Well I rush out blazin'/My pulse is racin'" on to the lonely sense of mystery on the album's conclusion. ~ Ned Raggett