This Fire

by

Paula Cole

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For years I have been about 80% committed to buying this album, but I never actually did. Recently a friend recommended it to me, and that was enough to finally get me off the fence and buy it. I'm glad I did; I really enjoy it.

This is really an excellent album. Besides the hits, "I Don't Want to Wait", "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone", and "Me", Paula Cole presents a compelling collection of songs on This Fire. This is not music for the casual listener; you will hear Paula Cole passionately sing about her vulnerabilities, her problems, her sorrows. Some may find such material too heavy, but it's precisely that intense level of introspection and occasional outrage that makes the album compelling. A wonderful surprise is Peter Gabriel's cameo appearance on "Hush, Hush, Hush", which is a beautiful song in its own right but is even better with Peter's distinguished contribution.

I would not hesitate to recommend this album to fans of Lillith Fair artists (such as Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin, etc.). If you like intelligent, passionate music and can handle heavy lyrics, then you will appreciate this album.

I thought it would grow on me if I listened to the CD a couple times because there are a couple songs I find good, and one that I really enjoy. The problem was, the album didn't grow on me, it grated on my nerves to the point where I didn't enjoy the songs I knew I used to like. To much screaming for my taste... I liked the song "feelin' love" because I will always associate it with the movie City of Angels (it's on that soundtrack.) I also enjoy the song "Where have all the cowboys gone" and "I don't want to have to wait". Everything else on the CD is not worth my time to listen to. You'd be better off listening to the radio and keeping your money.