Not a trace of the dreaded sophomore curse was to be found on Melissa Etheridge's second album.
On Brave and Crazy, the throaty singer/guitarist/composer is slightly more reflective than on her first release, but no less confident.
Nor is she is any less rootsy.
Etheridge's earthiness is a large part of her appeal, and she uses it most advantageously on the gutsy rockers "Skin Deep" and "Let Me Go," as well as more reflective pieces such as "Testify," "You Used to Love to Dance" and "You Can Sleep While I Drive" (which, like a lot of Bruce Springsteen's songs, equates long drives with freedom and liberation).
As introspective as things get on this CD, Etheridge never becomes wimpy or self-pitying.
For all its vulnerability, Brave and Crazy is the work of someone who comes across as a survivor.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No SouvenirsMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:32 | 10 MB | 28 MB |
| 2 | Brave and CrazyMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:36 | 10 MB | 30 MB |
| 3 | You Used to Love to DanceMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 05:32 | 12 MB | 29 MB |
| 4 | The AngelsMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:38 | 10 MB | 29 MB |
| 5 | You Can Sleep While I DriveMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:13 | 7 MB | 15 MB |
| 6 | TestifyMelissa Etheridge, Kevin McCormick | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:27 | 10 MB | 27 MB |
| 7 | Let Me GoMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:54 | 8 MB | 25 MB |
| 8 | My Back DoorMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:22 | 10 MB | 28 MB |
| 9 | Skin DeepMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:09 | 7 MB | 21 MB |
| 10 | Royal Station 4-16 | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 07:08 | 16 MB | 44 MB |
| 45 mins | 104 MB | |||||
| 45 mins | 281 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Banghart | Assistant Engineer |
| 2 | Niko Bolas | Engineer, Mixing, Producer |
| 3 | Bono | Guest Artist, Harmonica |
| 4 | Melissa Etheridge | Arranger, Composer, Guitar (12 String), Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals |
| 5 | Robin Fredriksz | Make-Up |
| 6 | Larry Goodwin | Assistant Engineer |
| 7 | Dennis Keeley | Photography |
| 8 | Bernie Larsen | Guitar (Electric) |
| 9 | Mauricio-Fritz Lewak | Drums |
| 10 | Kevin McCormick | Arranger, Bass, Composer, Producer |
| 11 | Mauricio Fritz Sewak | Bass |
| 12 | Scott Thurston | Keyboards |
| 13 | Bob Vogt | Engineer |
| 14 | Richard Wachtel | Guitar |
| 15 | Waddy Wachtel | Guitar |
| 16 | Randy Wine | Assistant Engineer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |