On the Record: Lisa Loeb

Artist : Lisa Loeb
Album : The Way It Really Is (PT Aquarius Musikindo)

The thing with Lisa Loeb is that although she has written a smash hit, that is, Stay (I Missed You), she has never had the pretension to set out to write another one.

The songs and album that followed were not chart-topping hits, but mature works that exhibited consistency and craftsmanship. Better yet, they sounded as though they came from the heart.

And that is just what Loeb does with this latest record.

Still a folksy, acoustic-guitar-based pop, The Way It Really Is chronicles life and love through 11 tracks.

Some songs have an upbeat and optimistic tone, such as Window Shopping, where Loeb gives a proposition to a man, or "taking control" and "day-seizing" stuff like I Control the Sun and Hand- Me-Downs.

At times, the mood is somber and gloomy as relationships take an ugly turn, such as Try which talks about differences between couples, or family trouble in Accident.

This album is personal, rather than a potential hot seller. With her talent, hopefully Loeb will come up with another smash hit to get the recognition she deserves. -- Hera Diani