Music Review: Chris Isaak

Daily Texan
October 12, 1998
By David Greenfield

AUSTIN, Texas -- Not many people can claim the things Chris Isaak can claim. He's an actor, an avid surfer, he used to be a semi-pro boxer and he got to roll around on a beach with a naked and beautiful supermodel. However, despite all his accomplishments, Isaak, for most people, is first and foremost a talented singer. Since his break through Heart Shaped World album, he has cultivated a happily sad sound that continues to mature with his latest release Speak of The Devil.

The opening song, "Please", is also the first single from the album. It begins with a slow prickling of the guitar and Isaak's soft, emotional voice. The beat picks up and a traveling, catchy beat commences as the song picks up yet again into a pure rock 'n' roll song. The song ends how it began in the normal Chris Isaak fashion, dying out like his last radio hit "Somebody's Crying."

Another catchy song is "Flying," a happy, upbeat song that fades in abruptly. This song, with its more than slightly country influenced guitars is a token Chris Isaak song. It's bittersweet with saddening, heart broken lyrics and happy music. Gospel singers from Isaak's hometown sing the chorus with him on this song, making the song even more happily sad. It fades out as fast as it faded in , leaving the listener wanting more, a token trick from Isaak.

The title track, "Speak of the Devil," starts out slow with random sounds. The beat kicks in and Isaak sings almost immediately over the sneaky, mellow beat. In the chorus Isaak really belts it out with: "... been waiting for someone, been lonely for years." The sharp twangs of the guitar give the song an even harder edge to it, creating an emotional song that will no doubt be phenomenal when performed live.

Other songs on this album, such as "Like The Way She Moves," where Isaak strays from his usual, Roy Orbison inspired voice, and sings loudly over the unpredictable yet fitting beat. The song is not typical of Isaak. The lyrics are almost confident and show an Isaak not as afraid of a lady as the hopelessly shy Isaak of before.

The album as a whole is also different for Isaak. Besides the fact that new beats and styles of music are incorporated, the topic of the songs are also different. In "Don't Get So Down On Yourself," Isaak sings as a supportive friend rather than a lost, swooning could- have-been lover.

songs like "Please" deal with relationships, but not in any black and white manner. This song is about the thoughts one has when examining a relationship too closely. However, it is from the examinee point of view so the lyrics are more demanding than whining.

This isn't to say that Isaak has lost his sense of shyness or inadequacies for love. On the contrary, Isaak cultivates these feelings with songs like "Wanderin'"and "Walk Slow." In these songs Isaak deals with relationships in relation to everyone else, telling his self and the ever anonymous "you" to disregard other people and do what your heart tells you to do. In this manner, Isaak has kept his self the ultimate authority and spokesman for relationship anxiety and lost love. The one big problem with the album is that it is too similar any other Chris Isaak album. Although it may be a far cry from Heart Shaped World, Speak of the Devil is very similar to Forever Blue. It's true that Isaak has explored different styles in this and other albums, but unless one is a die hard fan, it's pretty hard to tell the difference between some albums. It seems that his sound, even though it is original compared to other bands, looses its luster against the background of his other albums.

Since the popularity of "Wicked Game" and Helena Christianson has dwindled, many have forgotten about Chris Isaak. However, Speak of the Devil promises to show the world that Chris Isaak is still out there, love stricken and mournful as ever, just waiting to be discovered.

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