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By GREG MAKI
To many, it may seem that Lennon (full name: Lennon Murphy) has been MIA since her 2001 debut 5:30 Saturday Morning. But somewhat under the radar, she has toured extensively, released DVDs and recorded Career Suicide, an entire of album of just her and a piano. Most of the songs on her latest effort, Damaged Goods, were previously available virtually everywhere except the United State on an album called I Am. They now get a much deserved domestic release.
This 17-song collection showcases an artist who has matured greatly during the last half-decade. Nothing illustrates this better than “Where Do I Fit In,” a re-working of the 5:30 Saturday Morning track “My Beautiful.” While the original was marked by overblown production featuring strings and a distinctly nü-metal flavor to the guitars, the new version is simply a straight-up rock song. The industrial touches from her debut also have been left behind. It’s window dressing that Lennon no longer needs. Her strength is her songwriting, which often takes the listener to vulnerable, intimate places. When you can write a song as powerful as the opener, “No One Knows,” you don’t need gimmicks or studio trickery. The highlights also include the two heaviest songs on the disc, “Rain” and “One or the Other”; another 5:30 Saturday Morning holdover, “Brake of Your Car”; and the piano ballad “Finish What We Start.”
Running nearly 70 minutes, the album is longer than it needs to be, but it’s a case of being too much of a good thing. Anyone who enjoys honest rock music from the heart will get more than their money’s worth.
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