Leona Naess
I Tried to Rock You But You Only Roll [MCA]
By Anne Johnson
Published: June 18th, 2002 | 10:20am
This sophomore follow-up to last year's mostly acoustic Comatised features Leona Naess' pretty voice and unabashedly honest lyrical style with more instrumentation. In some ways, this album could be considered a coming-of-age narrative.
Songs such as "All the Stars," "Weak Strong Heart," and especially the touching "Panic Stricken" very candidly and vividly recall the sometimes frightening and confusing transition into adulthood. The majority of the release has Naess considering more adult, intimate relationships. Her sincere approach, however, does somehow make this forgivable. (For reference, listen to the almost excruciating "Sunny Sunday.")
The more upbeat rockers such as "Blue Eyed Baby" and the title track have commercial potential, but Naess' niche is difficult to discern. She is too youthful to be adult contemporary and not quite in what radio has deemed the "alternative" genre (to her credit, mind you). I imagine wherever Beth Orton is played, so shall (and should) Leona Naess' twinkling "Serenade" be heard as well.
As a footnote, it is interesting to see how the '80s have influenced contemporary music. How Naess has been touched is evident in songs such as "Mayor of Your Town" and "Boys Like You" (an intentional twist on the Cure's "Boy's Don't Cry"?). Who'd have thought that there would be any lasting influence?
Issue #25
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