This was one of the most stunning debut albums of the 1980s.
Given the domination of synthesizer pop on the radio, Melissa Etheridge was a breath of fresh air when she burst out of the gate with this roots rock album sung with a sensitive bravado often compared to Janis Joplin.
Although the passionate vocal deliveries are similar, the comparisons end there: Etheridge is a Midwesterner who was clearly influenced by classic rock artists such as Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp.
The main theme explored is the emotional complexity of relationships, and throughout the album she sings about the hunger for affection, the pain of unrequited love, and the fire of obsessive romance.
While the limited scope of the songwriting requires the listener to enter her world and exorcise the demons of relationships past, the album is full of infectious, up-tempo songs that propel the album forward.
Etheridge's true talent, however, is reconciling uncontrollable emotions such as jealousy with a strong and fiercely independent spirit ("Similar Features," "Like the Way I Do").
Perhaps that's why Etheridge became a role model for a generation of young women who found her to be an uncompromising artist unafraid to expose (and celebrate) her strengths and weaknesses.
This is a fine introduction to Melissa Etheridge, and it is one of her most enjoyable albums.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Similar FeaturesMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:41 | 10 MB | 29 MB |
| 2 | Chrome Plated HeartMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:58 | 9 MB | 23 MB |
| 3 | Like the Way I DoMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 05:21 | 12 MB | 38 MB |
| 4 | Precious PainMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:14 | 9 MB | 23 MB |
| 5 | Don't You NeedMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:58 | 11 MB | 29 MB |
| 6 | The Late September DogsMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 06:32 | 14 MB | 33 MB |
| 7 | OccasionallyMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 02:35 | 5 MB | 14 MB |
| 8 | Watching YouMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 05:33 | 12 MB | 28 MB |
| 9 | Bring Me Some WaterMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:52 | 8 MB | 25 MB |
| 10 | I Want YouMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:44 | 8 MB | 25 MB |
| 45 mins | 104 MB | |||||
| 45 mins | 271 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wally Badarou | Guest Artist, Keyboards |
| 2 | Chris Blackwell | Executive Producer |
| 3 | Allan Blazek | Engineer |
| 4 | Niko Bolas | Engineer, Producer |
| 5 | George DuBose | Photography |
| 6 | Melissa Etheridge | Arranger, Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals |
| 7 | Rob Fraboni | Executive Producer |
| 8 | David Kane | Assistant Engineer |
| 9 | Craig Krampf | Arranger, Drums, Percussion, Producer |
| 10 | Stephen Marcussen | Mastering |
| 11 | Kevin McCormick | Arranger, Bass, Producer |
| 12 | Jim Nipar | Engineer |
| 13 | Johnny Lee Schell | Guitar |
| 14 | Duane Seykora | Mixing Assistant |
| 15 | Scott Thurston | Keyboards |
| 16 | Bob Vogt | Mixing Assistant |
| 17 | Richard Wachtel | Guitar |
| 18 | Waddy Wachtel | Guitar |
| 19 | Tony Wright | Cover Design |
| 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). |