Vitamin C
is the nom de plume for singer
Colleen Fitzpatrick
, who fronted
Eve's Plum
for two very good, and overlooked, albums released by
550 Music
in the mid-'90s. Here she steps out on her own for a self-titled solo debut that is every bit as engaging as those two releases and more so. The album shows a wider range stylistically from
Fitzpatrick
than she did with her former band, and the result is a stunning collection that mixes
pop
, alternative, and
dance
music. Jamaican
dancehall
diva
Lady Saw
guests on the single
"Smile,"
which fuses
and alt-
to good effect on the opening track. There is no shortage of hooks on
.
"Turn Me On"
is raucous
with quiet spoken passages and a neat lyrical twist, and
"Me, Myself and I"
cops the vibe of
War
's
"Lowrider."
adopts a breathy delivery over electronic bursts and a hammering drumbeat on
"Not that Kind of Girl."
She gets funky on
"Do What You Want to Do"
and explores role reversal on the electro-
of
"Girls Against the Boys."
And just when it seems that she can't pull one more hook from her bag of tricks,
delivers the provocatively playful
"About Last Night"
and the nostalgic, string-laced
"Graduation (Friends Forever)."
She even takes an admirable stab at the
Split Enz
classic
"I Got You."
There's not a weak track on this stellar record. ~ Tom Demalon