Customer Reviews

Cruel Inventions

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sam Phillips is probably best known for three things: (1) she used to put out Christian music under her given name, Leslie Phillips; (2) she's married to rock producer T-Bone Burnett; and (3) she played the icily mute assassin and girlfriend to Jeremy Irons in "Die Hard 3." All of which is fine, except that it overshadows her fabulous work as a contemporary singer and songwriter.

Under her nickname "Sam," she's released a number of CDs, starting with 1989's "The Indescribable Wow," 1992's "Cruel Inventions," 1995's "Martinis and Bikinis," and others.

Her CDs show a definite progression, starting with the soft crooning sounds of "Indescribable" to the more subtle and plaintive songs of "Inventions," to a more Beatles like sound of "Martinis and Bikinis." Depending on what you're looking for, then, "Cruel Inventions" may not be to your liking.

What "Cruel Inventions" offers is a collection of dreamy meditations accompanied by incredibly catchy musical arrangements. Phillip's voice is pure and heartfelt, almost like a less scratchy version of Kim Carnes.

Best of all, the quality of songs is pretty even throughout; if you like any of the songs on the CD, you're likely to like most or all of them.

"Cruel Inventions" is not only Sam's best album, but one of the best in the industry. With her intelligent lyrics, articulate musical styles, and a darkened dreamlike mood, she is a role-model for many female artist who don't want the "girlie" stereotype. I have loved this album for years and continue to do so. Songs like "Tripping Over Gravity" and "Lying" are musical gems, and the entire album sparkles with creativity.

Contrary to the thoughts of some, Sam Phillips has NOT abandoned her faith when she chose to leave the Contemporary Christian music field. She simply grew tired of the smug and confining nature of the genre that refused to allow her to grow as an artist. Like her husband and producer T Bone Burnett and their good friend Bruce Cockbrun, Sam's faith is still very much in evidence in many of her songs. She merely does not hit the listener over the head with it has is usually in the nature of the Contemporary Christian genre.

With "Cruel Inventions," Sam has created one of the best albums of either phase of her career. The melodies are catchy and unforgettable, the lyrics thought provoking and relevant. Others may wish to keep Sam in a box, refusing to let her grow, but many of her fans welcome her artistic muse.

While there are some excellent songs on some other Sam Phillips albums, notably "The Indescribable Wow," this one, IMHO, is by far the best. Well-written, well-performed and well-produced. In particular, "Go Down" is somewhere in my top 50 of all time.

Evidently the fact that this is a somewhat downbeat and introspective collection has hurt its sales. I didn't realize it was now so unpopular that (as of this writing) Amazon doesn't even carry new inventory!

If you aren't looking for dance music and you're not a head-banger, you should definitely check this one out. Highly recommended.

I've been gushing about Sam Phillips ever since I heard the first note of Martinis And Bikinis, so if I begin to do the same for Cruel Inventions, forgive me. Just say "dev1, stop your gushing." Husband and producer T Bone Burnett plays a major role in sound of Cruel Inventions. The album is rich and baroque with an Eastern Beatlesque sound (Where The Colors Don't Go) sometimes very close to classical (the string section during the break of Lying). T Bone embellishes guitars and drums with strings, piano and synthetic sounds (ude and chamberlain? who knows what the heck they are). The melodic hooks and instrumental variations sound natural and effortless. And to save money, Sam's voice is multitracked for luxurious choruses: a chorus of Sams harmonizing with Sam is blissful (especially the "ooh wa, ooh wa" chorus of the title track).

Although the string section is arranged by Van Dyke Parks (he's very civil and melodic with That's Where The Colors Don't Go), the strumming guitars and verse-chorus-verse structure clearly say "This is a Pop album." Sam has Beatles and Byrds (Now I Can't Find The Door) flying around inside her head. Lyrically, Cruel Inventions is introspective and confessional ("We tiptoe through air until we see the blood on their teeth" from Private Room). Please don't run and hide. "Sensitive" doesn't equate to "self-pity" here, but to a 100-foot pile of optimism. Sam abhors greed ("Break the code of death for profit. Break the guns. Break the silence of money" from Go Down), examines love's misadventures ("I'm afraid of you. There must be some back way or window I can climb out through" from Now I Can't Find The Door), and is always longing for...I don't know.

Fans may argue that the most evocative composition is the haunting and mystical "Private Storm." I prefer `Where The Colors Don't Go": exhilarating musical structure, sensuous string section and radiant Sam, Sam and more Sams vocal harmonies. Try Cruel Inventions. If you're not into the metaphysical world where organized religion and spirituality intersect in strange and affecting ways, you can always tap your foot and sing along.

This is the best album of any artist that i have ever heard. all the songs are really likeable, and people, Sam is not cynical, only insightful and extremely intelligent. I think it is good that she switched over from christian music cause it makes her wonderful music more accessible to everyone. these songs have really ingenious, poetic lyrics and are pretty catchy too. i REALLY reccomend this but not to people that are still hanging on to Sam's past. Get over it!

I like Sam a lot and this is my favorite of her CDs. I like it because she records harmony and counterpoint with three or more voices and has a percussionist who claps the rhythm on the title song and backup musicians. I like the complexity of it compared to other albums of hers that are more folky.

Even a downbeat album by Sam Phillips makes the whole world sound beautiful. Her introspective tunes here, recorded by some of the finest studio musicians around, as well as stellar guest artists (no less than the great Elvis Costello, in one instance), weave a sonic tapestry behind her deceptively frail voice, allowing her to bewitch and absorb the listener with songs so spare and simple that a fool might think their perfection easy to duplicate. Sam's various artistic touchstones ---The Beatles, Bob Dylan, even her husband T-Bone Burnett, who produced "Inventions"---seem to steep and blend into her compositions and singing, enabling her to pilot her way through the almost impenetrable emotions of heartache, confusion, and moral indignation: "Private Storm" recalls the pain of a too-sensitive heart with a jagged acoustic guitar; the title song, once described by Sam onstage as an attack on television, is darkly whimsical; "Lying" describes erotic fascination on a mythic scale, as jarring fuzztone riffs crash and soar while her lyrics are sung in a hypnotic monotone. It's not all woe-is-me stuff, however: "Standing Still" and the captivating "Where the Colors Don't Go" could be outtakes from the soundtrack to "To Sir, With Love" (or a really exceptional "Monkees" episode). Sam, Sam, there's nothing cruel about you; you're simply wonderful.

This was the first album that I have heard from Sam Phillips and my life has never been the same. I bought it on recommendation of a friend and have never regretted it. Full of songs of superb popcraft, striking lyrics are set to deceptively catchy melodies and the results do not disappoint. "Go Down," "Tripping Over Gravity," "Where The Colors Don't Go," and the title track are not songs (or hooks) one wants to argue with and the rest of the album follows suit.

If you are not a Sam Phillips enthusiast... you should be! This is my favorite cd by Sam. The production, melodies, lyrics... it's a stunner.