January 31–February 7, 2002

cd reviews|rock/pop

Anita Lane

Sex O’Clock

(Mute)

The photos that cover Sex O’Clock would fool any consumer. Viewing it from its blue-pantsuit (and matching umbrella) front or the silver-spangle dressed, smiling head shots splattered throughout, you’d think Anita Lane was Kylie Minogue’s sister. You’d be wrong. Those familiar with the Birthday Party and Einstürzende Neubauten know Lane’s breathy, inexpressive smirk of a voice. On Sex, Lane is surrounded by an orchestrated sound as grandly camp (bells, saccharine strings, slinky organs) as a Serge Gainsbourg session, courtesy multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey and string arranger Bertrand Burgalat. What she does lyrically is Nick Cave Lite, whispering and stewing slowly about virgins/whores, the next man, epic godheads, fallow sexual experiences. She takes on her own words with an animal gracefulness as delicate as if Audrey Hepburn ripped out George Peppard’s throat in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Lane does her best work on the very first song, Gil Scott-Heron’s "Home Is Where the Hatred Is." When she sings "Home is where the needle marks try to heal my broken heart," Lane’s steely deadpan sexuality makes her a dangerous forlorn beauty and an object of utter tenderness.

—A.D. Amorosi