Walk of Life

by

Billie Piper

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The follow-up to her debut Honey to the B, Walk of Life (2000) is British actress Billie Piper's second and final CD. More slickly produced and featuring a bigger wall of sound than its predecessor, Walk of Life nevertheless hews closely to the formula set down on the first disk: highly processed synth-pop odes to love, sex, and independence. Sadly, this release marked the end of Piper's musical career: she would later crash and burn, then reinvent herself as an actress.

The big singles are all right up front: "Day and Night," "Something Deep Inside," and "Walk of Life." Of these three, the title track is clearly the standout, a wonderfully delivered love song whose sentiments are surprisingly sincere and free of cynicism. This might possibly be Piper's best vocal performance. Other highlights include a delightful cover of "The Tide is High," featuring a brief rap mid-song that pokes playful fun at Piper's celebrity, and "Run that by Me," the closest Piper gets to a straightforward rock number. But the real gem of this collection is the final track, "Misfocusing," whose lyrics are leagues more complex and mature than anything else Piper recorded, and her beautiful vocals are strongly reminiscent of a young Jewel. In hindsight, this song is like a sad coda to Piper's short-lived pop stardom.

Other strong numbers on the CD are "Safe with Me," "Ring My Bell," and "Promises." There's less filler than on Honey to the B: "Bring It On," "Because of You," and "What Game is This?" pad out the disk, but again, nothing cringe-inducing.

It's a shame that Piper turned so thoroughly away from music (though it's not surprising, given the difficulties she encountered). Nobody will ever mistake her for a great musician or a great vocalist, but she plainly had a knack for catchy pop, and her sheer bravado as a singer more than compensated for the weaknesses in her material. Her fans will probably always be left wondering what might have resulted had she ever teamed up with a more creative writing team and tackled more substantive material.