Lilith Fair: A Celebration Of Women In Music V.3

As the second half of the two-part sequel to the first Lilith Fair souvenir, Lilith Fair, Vol. 3 may seem like an afterthought, but it's arguably the best of the series so far. Like its sister compilation, Lilith Fair, Vol. 2, Vol. 3 features songs from 14 different artists from the 1998 tour. Through design, this collection features many of the more challenging artists from the tour, including Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Luscious Jackson, Liz Phair, Suzanne Vega and Emmylou Harris. True, they're all represented by some of their more accessible songs, but this means they fit in well with the remainder of the disc, which consists of both the familiar (Holly Cole, Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt) and the new (Sixpence None the Richer, N'Dea Davenport, K's Choice, Rebekah, Chantal Kreviazuk). There are a few lulls on the album, but not as many as on the double-disc first volume -- or the second volume, for that matter. And while the disc will primarily be of interest for fans seeking a souvenir, the music is good enough that fans of adult alternative pop won't find this a bad choice, either. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine