JOAN OSBORNE

LITTLE WILD ONE

2008-08-22

After her 2006 venture into Country on "Pretty Little Stranger" and her 2007 Soul and R&B cover disc, "Breakfast in Bed", Joan Osborne reunites with the production team the helped her turn her debut, "Relish", into a multi-platinum affair and returns with a disc of all original tunes. Kicking off with the rootsy charm of "Hallelujah in the City" where the rich diversity of New York City serves as a metaphor for the many influences that shape your character, Osborne takes on a variety of subjects including the end of relationships on the mid-tempo rocker, "Sweeter Than the Rest", religion, on the scathing, "Cathedrals", where church leaders hope that those wounded by the church will just go home, and making the best of your time here, on the peppy, "Light of the World". The title track is haunting and troubling while "Daddy-O" finds her relishing the comfort of the past. In addition to her tour of various topics, Osborne also mixes things up musically and vocally. "Rodeo" is a rocker of first order while "Can’t Say No" has a strong Middle-Eastern groove. "Bury me on the Battery" is a folk/spiritual love song of sorts to New York City. "To the One I Love" is a sly, slinky number where she channels Sade while "Meet You in the Middle" could have come from Spy Boy era Emmylou Harris. This disc is solid from beginning to end. Smitty