By 1997, much of the pop music landscape had changed. The music papers were declaring the "Techno Revolution" was on,
Oasis and
Manic Street Preachers were ruling the charts, and simple dance-pop seemed to be the domain of teenage girls. So what does the dance-pop diva of the '90s do? She recruits
Manic Street Preachers'
James Dean Bradfield,
Sean Moore, and
Nicky Wire, starts writing unaided, and completely changes musical direction. Enter
Kylie Minogue's
Impossible Princess (the title was changed to
Kylie Minogue after the death of Princess Diana). From the trippy cover art to the abundance of guitars and experimental vocal tracks, this was her "great leap forward." The move got her in the papers, but, unfortunately, critical acclaim was lacking. So were sales. Critics called it a mistake, and the public was less than impressed. Which is sad, because this is a pretty damn good record. Unlike her early work, this album sounds stronger and has a more natural feel. Her songwriting abilities have come a long way, and
Impossible Princess actually flows together as an album. Worth another look. [A 2003 bonus disc version included remixes and unreleased material.] ~ Chris True