Sam Phillips - Cruel Inventions

 Good Stuff
While there are some excellent songs on some other Sam Phillips albums, notably "The Indescribable Wow," this one, IMHO, is by far the best. Well-written, well-performed and well-produced. In particular, "Go Down" is somewhere in my top 50 of all time.

Evidently the fact that this is a somewhat downbeat and introspective collection has hurt its sales. I didn't realize it was now so unpopular that (as of this writing) Amazon doesn't even carry new inventory!

If you aren't looking for dance music and you're not a head-banger, you should definitely check this one out. Highly recommended. April 9, 2005

 No Sophomore Slump Here!!
There was definintely no secular sophomore slump for Sam Phillips. This release was praised highly by critics and well received by us 'educated ones' who like artistic music and deep lyrics. While by today's standards, it may sound a little dated, but this was a phenominal progressive-rock-alternative-pop release in its day. There is not a bad song on this disc!! I especially love the opening lyric to "Go Down" - "Face the blue and wish the roof would open up, but the arches of commerce made the sky corrupt, go down." "Go Down" is probably my favorite song, it's just an acoustical masterpiece with very minimalistic instrumentation. Equally an acoustical masterpiece is "Cruel Inventions". I really love "Standing Still" - which should have been a huge hit on radio. I love the complex, deep, poetic, and sometimes confusing lyrics of "Tripping Over Gravity" - another beautiful gem in this collection. "Private Storm" is a powerful ballad about inner turmoil that EVERYONE on the planet can relate to in one way or another. "Private Storm" has some chillingly honest lyrics such as " We lock the hurricane indoors, looking for shelter, we deny and ignore, afraid that our words bring clouds we talk in code..." and "...Time doesn't heal, scars turn into wounds as we walk lightly - silent screams in the storm." "Raised on Promises" is a more upbeat pop-rocker correlating the 'Promises' many Christians hold on to and the reality that exists in human life - showing that nothing in life is certain - whether you claim promises or not. The last song was a big alternative hit at my university at the time. It's witty and focuses on the ignorance of a narrow mind as she states, "In a white room, in a white head, in a cobweb of enterprise, where the dreams sleep and fears keep." and also, "...half-lived, half-ignored, an endless chase in a small place, one world, one white flag, one shopping bag and restaurant, no surprise there, only lies there!" If you are a fan of deep, thought-provoking lyrics and acoustical-progressive alternative-rock, this is your release!!! June 9, 2003

 "Cruel" Beauty
Even a downbeat album by Sam Phillips makes the whole world sound beautiful. Her introspective tunes here, recorded by some of the finest studio musicians around, as well as stellar guest artists (no less than the great Elvis Costello, in one instance), weave a sonic tapestry behind her deceptively frail voice, allowing her to bewitch and absorb the listener with songs so spare and simple that a fool might think their perfection easy to duplicate. Sam's various artistic touchstones ---The Beatles, Bob Dylan, even her husband T-Bone Burnett, who produced "Inventions"---seem to steep and blend into her compositions and singing, enabling her to pilot her way through the almost impenetrable emotions of heartache, confusion, and moral indignation: "Private Storm" recalls the pain of a too-sensitive heart with a jagged acoustic guitar; the title song, once described by Sam onstage as an attack on television, is darkly whimsical; "Lying" describes erotic fascination on a mythic scale, as jarring fuzztone riffs crash and soar while her lyrics are sung in a hypnotic monotone. It's not all woe-is-me stuff, however: "Standing Still" and the captivating "Where the Colors Don't Go" could be outtakes from the soundtrack to "To Sir, With Love" (or a really exceptional "Monkees" episode). Sam, Sam, there's nothing cruel about you; you're simply wonderful. January 31, 2001

 CARRY OBSESSION TO MARKET... I'M SO CONFUSED...
Weighing in on anti-capitalism apparently in "Go Down" ("arches of commerce made the sky corrupt"), exploring desire and deception in "Lying" ("if I said I believe my eyes, and science can move my soul... if I said I'm not afraid to die, and I don't need you... I'd be lying..."), simply finding an entertaining niche, expanding her creative body of work, Sam Phillips has once again delivered a considerable piece. Phillips still very subtly explores faith-related issues in all her works, which is clear. It is not obvious, but the depth and intelligence of the lyrics as well as the questions the songs raise make it clear that listeners are not grappling with a flash in the pan talent. We are listening to a serious musician who not only has a wealth of things to say and questions to pose, but also has a storehouse of fantastic songs... Best of here includes "Lying", "Go Down", "Cruel Inventions", and "Standing Still". This album picks up where Sam's previous albums left off, very creative, inventive, and thought provoking. October 8, 2000

 Religion and Spirituality Intersect
I've been gushing about Sam Phillips ever since I heard the first note of Martinis And Bikinis, so if I begin to do the same for Cruel Inventions, forgive me. Just say "dev1, stop your gushing." Husband and producer T Bone Burnett plays a major role in sound of Cruel Inventions. The album is rich and baroque with an Eastern Beatlesque sound (Where The Colors Don't Go) sometimes very close to classical (the string section during the break of Lying). T Bone embellishes guitars and drums with strings, piano and synthetic sounds (ude and chamberlain? who knows what the heck they are). The melodic hooks and instrumental variations sound natural and effortless. And to save money, Sam's voice is multitracked for luxurious choruses: a chorus of Sams harmonizing with Sam is blissful (especially the "ooh wa, ooh wa" chorus of the title track).

Although the string section is arranged by Van Dyke Parks (he's very civil and melodic with That's Where The Colors Don't Go), the strumming guitars and verse-chorus-verse structure clearly say "This is a Pop album." Sam has Beatles and Byrds (Now I Can't Find The Door) flying around inside her head. Lyrically, Cruel Inventions is introspective and confessional ("We tiptoe through air until we see the blood on their teeth" from Private Room). Please don't run and hide. "Sensitive" doesn't equate to "self-pity" here, but to a 100-foot pile of optimism. Sam abhors greed ("Break the code of death for profit. Break the guns. Break the silence of money" from Go Down), examines love's misadventures ("I'm afraid of you. There must be some back way or window I can climb out through" from Now I Can't Find The Door), and is always longing for...I don't know.

Fans may argue that the most evocative composition is the haunting and mystical "Private Storm." I prefer `Where The Colors Don't Go": exhilarating musical structure, sensuous string section and radiant Sam, Sam and more Sams vocal harmonies. Try Cruel Inventions. If you're not into the metaphysical world where organized religion and spirituality intersect in strange and affecting ways, you can always tap your foot and sing along. June 25, 2000

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