God and the FBI

God and the FBI

• Janis Ian - God And The FBI - CD Brand New

Sixties phenom turned '70s comeback queen Janis Ian is now well into her third resurgence, which kicked off in 1993 with the release of her post-Columbia Records debut, <i>Breaking Silence</i>. <i>God and the FBI</i>, the one-time prodigy's third post-<i>Breaking Silence</i> release, is something of a mixed bag. Most at home with graceful, melodic efforts such as this set's "She Must Be Beautiful" and "On the Other Side," Ian's up-tempo forays are more problematic. The title track, an oral gusher in the tradition of Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business" and Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," suffers from stiffness, while "The Last Comeback" and "Murdering Stavinsky," despite some adept wordplay, are dragged down by dated rock production. On the plus side, "Memphis" benefits from guest vocals by the ever welcome Willie Nelson, while "Boots Like Emmy Lou's" (Harris, that would be) is a playful delight that feels like a hit for someone with Nashville connections. <i>God</i>, however, is notable for its scope and ambition-qualities that have allowed its creator to keep her last comeback on the horizon. <I>--Steven Stolder</I>