Breakdown [ECD] by Melissa Etheridge (CD, Oct-1999, Island)

Album Features
UPC:	731454651820
Artist:	Melissa Etheridge
Format:	CD
Release Year:	1999
Record Label:	Island
Genre:	Rock & Pop

Track Listing
1. Breakdown
2. Angels Would Fall
3. Stronger Than Me
4. Into the Dark
5. Enough of Me
6. Truth of the Heart
7. Mama I'm Strange
8. Scarecrow
9. How Would I Know
10. My Lover
11. Sleep

Details
Contributing Artists:	Kenny Aronoff, Jim Keltner
Producer:	Melissa Etheridge, John Shanks
Distributor:	Universal Distribution
Recording Type:	Studio
Recording Mode:	Stereo
SPAR Code:	n/a

Album Notes
This is an Enhanced CD which contains regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. This initial pressing of BREAKDOWN contains three bonus tracks.Personnel: Melissa Etheridge (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars); Greg Leisz (electric, lap steel & pedal steel guitars, mandolin); John Shanks (guitar, autoharp, dulcimer, marimba, bass, Theremin, loops, background vocals); Jon Brion (electric & baritone guitars); Patrick Warren (keyboards, vibraphone); Rami Jaffee (keyboards); Kenny Aronoff (marimba, drums, shaker, loops); Pino Palladino, Mark Browne (bass); Steve Ferrone (drums, percussion); Matt Chamberlain (drums, loops); Jim Keltner, Abe Laboriel Jr. (drums); Loopalicious, Gota Yashiki, Brian Macleod (loops).Engineers: Marc Desisto, Neal Avron, Greg Goldman.BREAKDOWN was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. "Angels Would Fall" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song."Enough Of Me" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance.This is an Enhanced CD which contains regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.Personnel: Melissa Etheridge (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars); Greg Leisz (electric, lap steel & pedal steel guitars, mandolin); John Shanks (guitar, autoharp, dulcimer, marimba, bass, Theremin, loops, background vocals); Jon Brion (electric & baritone guitars); Patrick Warren (keyboards, vibraphone); Rami Jaffee (keyboards); Kenny Aronoff (marimba, drums, shaker, loops); Pino Palladino, Mark Browne (bass); Steve Ferrone (drums, percussion); Matt Chamberlain (drums, loops); Jim Keltner, Abe Laboriel Jr. (drums); Loopalicious, Gota Yashiki, Brian Macleod (loops).Engineers: Marc Desisto, Neal Avron, Greg Goldman.BREAKDOWN was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. "Angels Would Fall" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song."Enough Of Me" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance.Personnel: Melissa Etheridge (vocals, acoustic guitar); Greg Leisz (guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin); John Shanks (guitar, dulcimer, harp, marimba, background vocals); Jon Brion (guitar); Patrick Warren, Rami Jaffee (keyboards); Kenny Aronoff (marimba, drums, shaker); Steve Ferrone (drums, percussion); Jim Keltner, Matt Chamberlain (drums); Brian Macleod (percussion).Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Tom Lord-Alge; Bob Clearmountain.Recording information: A&M Recording; Sunset sound.Photographers: Rocky Schenck; Barbara Green.During the four years between BREAKDOWN and 1995's YOUR LITTLE SECRET, Melissa Etheridge concentrated on starting a family and continued staying on the sidelines as her record label got caught up in corporate restructuring. This extended down-time had a settling effect on the leather-lunged vocalist that resulted in her sixth release being the most sedate and introspective record to its point.Gone is the bar-band banshee whose fervor on songs like "Bring Me Some Water" could peel paint off the wall. Instead, the native Kansan kicks back, digs deep and writes about the intricacies of relationships, yearning and loss in a way that would make her hero Bruce Springsteen proud. Infidelity is sunken into a dream state throughout "Into the Dark," thanks to lots of shimmering guitar and disconnected background vocals that hint at Kate Bush. Unrequited love also gets a thorough reading as Etheridge masterfully piles on the religious imagery throughout "Angels Would Fall." Although BREAKDOWN's darkest moment comes out within the jagged "Scarecrow," a tribute to murdered gay teen Matthew Shepard, Etheridge offers up a ray of hope with "Truth of the Heart," a jangly message of optimism that reflects her newfound parenthood.

Editorial Reviews
4 stars out of 5 - ...Catchy rock songs, warm vocals and heartfelt lyrics...
Uncut (20000301)

3.5 stars out of 5 - ...heartfelt, introspective, robustly sung....There's a welcome fragility in the acoustic-led arrangements....Etheridge the artist eclipses Etheridge the human being.
Rolling Stone (19991028)