Naked And Sacred

Chynna Phillips breaks away from Wilson Phillips, the vocal trio that catapulted her into the spotlight, with this album, and despite retaining the heart of her former group, this is defnitely a departure--sexier, edgier, and more personal. Though her albums with Carnie and Wendy Wilson contained some of the best pop music of the late '80s and early '90s, they were also wildly uneven, making this the most consistent album any of the women have produced, solo, as a duo, or together. Phillips' girlish vocals are more assured than ever, there are hooks to die for, and she is backed by lush arrangements that complement her voice instead of covering up weaknesses like so many productions do. Not one track falters. Though there isn't a single producer, Phillips was wise to choose such established and confident artists as Rick Nowels, Billy Steinberg, Desmond Child, Patrick Leonard and Glen Ballard to arrange her material. With such an array of producers, an album can seem disjointed, but Phillips, who cowrote nine of the eleven songs, obviously knew what she wanted, so Naked and Sacred is as cohesive as the best pop albums. Standout tracks are Naked and Sacred, Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me, and Remember Me. ~ Bryan Buss