Luscious Jackson – Fever In Fever Out / Grand Royal Audio CD 1996

UPC 724383553426

It's a leap forward, a document of growing self-awareness, and it actually contains the word "narc." The rare Daniel Lanois production collaboration that doesn't smother his clients in gauze, Fever In Fever Out finds Luscious Jackson peaking in their attempt to meld funk, French film music, lite rock, and Latin influences into a languid whole that achieves real force and sexiness. The radio hit "Naked Eye," with its warm-blanket vocal hooks, is best, but the Jacksons, particularly singer-multi-instrumentalist Jill Cunniff, explode little grabbers all over these 14 songs. And most of the time, the occasional hyperearnest lyric works for, not against, the group. (Cunniff's "Why Do I Lie?" is a close call, but its blatant lift of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Fantasy" melody smartly diverts the ear. --Rickey Wright