Search - Holly Cole :: Romantically Helpless

"Romantically Helpless" is Artistically Fearless

John Jones | Chicago IL | 06/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

""If you find me interesting/you won't be disappointed..." So sings Holly Cole on the title track of her seventh album, "Romantically Helpless," and truer words were never spoken. Since her first release in 1990 Holly's acclaimed career has been one of relentless reinvention, giving followers a chance to witness her as torch singer, trippy jazz cat, and progressive pop diva. In fact, the only thing that has stayed consistent in her work is the fact that she's one of the bravest and most original singers alive, as willing to recklessly experiment with her voice as she is able to take one artist's material and turn it completely inside out. "Romantically Helpless" visits all of her past incarnations and proves her artistic merit once more.Whether she's singing Gershwin or Tom Waits, Cole's interpretations have always been stunningly original; it's almost unfair to call them covers. "Romantically Helpless" is no exception in this instance, and we're treated to more songs that are so reworked they're barely recognizable. The Frank Sinatra standard "Come Fly With Me" is given a gently grooving pop arrangement ready for modern radio, and the Mamas and the Papas smash "Dedicated to the One I Love" is given a strikingly dark arrangement and vocal; the song morphs from its original dewey-eyed reputation to a nearly sinister tale of obsessive desire. The real magic is the fact that the lyrics aren't changed a stitch; the nuances are uncovered by Cole's performance alone...the mark of a truly gifted singer.Paul Simon's "One Trick Pony" is given a bluesy, Cassandra Wilson-ish arrangement; the song is slightly and thankfully reminiscent of Holly's monumental achievement "Temptation" (a collection of Tom Waits songs). And even when Holly sticks to a more traditional realm ("That Old Black Magic" and "Don't Fence Me In" are given classic swing arrangments), her vocal flourishes and trademark accents -a low moan here, a slide from one octave to another there- take the material to a new and distinctive level.Of course, the challenge with an artist like Holly is writing material especially for her. How, in a new song, do you nail the personality of someone who hears things in the work of others that no one would ever dream of? "If I Start to Cry" gives it a respectable try, and its pensive tale of having it all and still missing something does seem to fit her persona; however, the music sounds much more optimistic than its lyrics, and while that contradiction may fit the lyrical theme, it keeps the song from being a catchy, singalong hit. "I'll Be Here" is a pleasant enough marriage of country and pop, and its lyrics are clever (the story of a lighthouse dweller is either a quirky character study or an analogy for being someone's friend and touchstone) but melodically it's less than special. Much better is "Make it Go Away," a spectacular track from her "Dark Dear Heart" album, here brushed up with slicker production and a new vocal to be the album's first single. Then of course the tropical-flavored title track is sheer joy; the offbeat lyrics, written by her bassist David Piltch and taken directly from personal ads, suit Holly perfectly...as she sings "I'm just lookin for someone to have a good time with" over Carribean-tinged horns, the song's tongue-in-cheek come-ons are pulled off like no other singer could manage. Furthermore, the song's party feel makes you want to mix a giant Margarita, take your innertube into the pool, and bask in a midday sun, which would almost be as bright and beckoning as this track. In the face of such varied and spirited work, the album's only glaring misstep is forgiven: Randy Newman's "Ghosts" sounds lovely, a stark duet for Holly and guitar, but the lyrics don't make a lick of sense. When Holly sings near the end, "I just want to know what it was all about," we can agree wholeheartedly. But little matter...Holly Cole proves once again that the music world is her oyster, giving the thinking man sounds to revel in and forward-thinking singers plenty to learn from. It's pretty hard to think of such a strong character as being "romantically helpless," as Holly Cole yet again emerges artistically fearless."

A Welcome Development

John Jones | 08/11/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"All right. So she starts with jazz and pop standards in a trio format. By her third full outing, "Don't Smoke in Bed," she's pretty much perfected that approach. So she veers sharply to the left with her amazing collection of Tom Waits songs, "Temptation," that is just enthralling. A live album wonderfully sums up this phase of her career, and she goes to a bigger, more contemporary sound with "Dark, Dear Heart." A good disk, but as with her very first Trio album, you see that she's just getting started, that it hasn't crystalized. Which brings us to "Romantically Helpless," a mature and assured survey of a wide range of influences, from Cole Porter and Harold Arlen to Paul Simon and Randy Newman. It's an effortless blend of styles, each song clearly chosen for the unique voice of the songwriter, for images and wordplay -- to which she then adds unique and often definitive arrangements and phrasings. The smokiest, slinkiest cut is probably "One Trick Pony," and "That Old Black Magic" swings like nothing you've ever heard. Order it, already."

Romantically Helpful

orangeskies75 | Toronto, Canada | 11/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm procrastinating. Wasting time before I have to do what I have to do so I'm checking out what other people are saying about one of my favourite albums ever. Certainly this is the best Holly Cole album. A perfect blend of her jazz standards and new found love of pop. Her voice has an incredible timbre, perfectly showcase in songs like "one trick pony". Her sense of humour is still strong like in the title number. She more then aptly covers a sondheim song and I could just go on. She sings every song like she wrote it herself. Why is this an import in the States? I don't understand how the music business works but a country denied Holly Cole has some serious issues to deal with!"