Melissa Etheridge wasn't out of the closet when she released Yes I Am in 1993, yet it's hard not to notice the defiant acclamation in the album's title.
This barely concealed sense of sexual identity seeps out from the lyrics, and it informs the music as well, which is perhaps the most confident she has ever been.
It's also the most professional she's ever been (perhaps not a coincidence), as she belts out these unapologetically anthemic numbers with a sense of finesse that's suited to lifestyle newspaper pages, not rock & roll, thereby setting herself up for her bout with celebrity during the second half of the '90s.
Yes I Am wouldn't have been as convincing if it wasn't so slick, though; her Springsteen-isms and Janis tributes are tempered by songs that work as album rock favorites, even if they aren't as epic or passionate as their inspirations.
She may not have songs as great as she did the first time out -- "Somebody Bring Me Some Water" remains her finest moment -- but she has a sense of purpose and identity that suits her well.
And that identity wound up being the touchstone for the rest of her career.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I'm the Only OneMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:54 | 11 MB | 32 MB |
| 2 | If I Wanted ToMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:55 | 8 MB | 25 MB |
| 3 | Come to My WindowMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 03:56 | 9 MB | 26 MB |
| 4 | Silent LegacyMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 05:24 | 12 MB | 34 MB |
| 5 | I Will Never Be the SameMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:41 | 10 MB | 27 MB |
| 6 | All American GirlMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:05 | 9 MB | 29 MB |
| 7 | Yes I AmMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:23 | 10 MB | 28 MB |
| 8 | ResistMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 02:58 | 6 MB | 20 MB |
| 9 | RuinsMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:53 | 11 MB | 32 MB |
| 10 | Talking to My AngelMelissa Etheridge | Melissa Etheridge | Play | 04:47 | 10 MB | 27 MB |
| 44 mins | 100 MB | |||||
| 44 mins | 285 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Baumgartner | Assistant Engineer |
| 2 | Margo Chase | Design |
| 3 | Melissa Etheridge | Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals |
| 4 | James Fearnley | Accordion |
| 5 | Greg Goldman | Assistant Engineer |
| 6 | Mauricio-Fritz Lewak | Drums, Percussion |
| 7 | Bob Ludwig | Mastering |
| 8 | Kevin McCormick | Bass |
| 9 | Ian McLagan | Guest Artist |
| 10 | Hugh Padgham | Engineer, Mixing, Producer |
| 11 | Pino Palladino | Bass |
| 12 | David Sutton | Bass |
| 13 | Scott Thurston | Bass, Keyboards |
| 14 | Richard Wachtel | Guitar (Electric) |
| 15 | Waddy Wachtel | Guitar (Electric) |
| 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). |