27.11.14

"Diva" (1992) by Annie Lennox



To the kids today this might not seems to exciting but I was there in 1992 and I remember the huge, massive attention this long-awaited solo debut created everywhere in media. After all, Lennox waited some 12 years to finally has her own spotlight and not unlike Tina Turner she had shed a bothersome partner to show her colours. 

It was such megalithic success (album of the year, five hit singles, best British female artist) that it perhaps overshadowed the fact that music was not so different from what she was actually doing before. As I listen to it now while writing this, I still have the same opinion from back than, that this was not completely new turn into unknown direction but well-produced, superbly polished pop album that if you don't know, you could simply call another "Eurythmics" product. Which is just fine as back catalogue was very decent and usually devoid of anything banal, perhaps Lennox had such well established music persona that it would be pointless to expect something radically different from her - she is basically a white soul singer who just happened to flourish in decade of synthesizers and successfully conquered them.

Unwittingly, Lennox also brought term "diva" back into public consciousness and it kills me to see how many people took title of this album seriously , when its so obvious she took it as a self-mocking description of slightly worn-out alter-ego. There is nothing worn-out about her singing, she sounds stunning as ever and if anything, perhaps shows more tenderness here than previously. It is still a high mark in her career and for me this was never surpassed, everything else that came later lacked enthusiasm and inspiration present here. 

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