Pay attention, because they might ask this on a quiz show someday: "Which hip, AC-friendly intercollegiate modern pop band released both its first and second release with just one record?" Well, one possible answer is Sixpence None The Richer; since their soph release This Beautiful Mess is actually the first to feature a whole, complete band. Songwriter/guitarist Matt Slocum and lead vocalist Leigh Bingham are both back, but the band is now filled out with guitarist Tess Wiley, bassist J.J. Plasencio and drummer Dale Baker. Many of the same dark, thoughtful elements are carried over from the Fatherless And The Widow, but comparisons with 10,000 Maniacs will end every soon with This Beautiful Mess: Wiley brings a vibrancy and urgency to the party, while Plasencio and Baker provide a solid platform for Slocum's smart, ecclesiastical musings. And Bingham's voice is stronger and clearer than ever; she could sing the phone book and I'd buy it. Twice. Fortunately for us, she's actually singing smart lyrics and singing with a crackerjack rock 'n' roll band that's already toured with 10,000 Maniacs and The Smithereens and held their own. It don't get no better than this.
Other coverage for this album
The Lighthouse June 1995Reviewed by Robert BermanWomen have never had it better in rock music than right now. It used to be you could thumb through the entire alternative music rack at your favorite Christian bookstore and never see a female face looking back at you. But after years of howling, posturing males, the public is at least partially tiring of Y-chromosome dominated rock. And riding the crest of this brave wave are New Braunfels'…Salt #26Reviewed by RoadrunnerI'd almost say this is about as much like the Cranberries as it is Sixpence. Not that Leigh doesn't sound like herself, she's as smooth as ever. And Matt's unmistakeable guitar picking & strumming is there, though he plays it a bit harder on many of these songs. This Armand John Petri produced follow-up to the debut Fatherless... is at least as good, shows the same good songwriting ability of…Similar sounding releases
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