It's about time I review this longtime favourite disc of mine. Recorded in the late 90s when record labels still had the guts to allow artistic creativity, pop singer Holly Palmer teamed with electronica producer Howie B to make this album. Her longtime guitarist Robin Macatangay went with her to London to record. Other musicians on the album include Jeremy "Jez" Shaw, formerly of electronica duo Naked Funk and now a producer in his own right, Siggy Baldursson, the former drummer of Sugarcubes, studio percussionist Luis Jardim, and Warners' staff producer David Kahne, who later worked with Paul McCartney, on two tracks. If you know and like Howie B's organic style of electronica, you're most certain to greet the opener "Is Anybody Home" with enthusiasm. It was an OK choice for first single, because it did whet at least my appetite for the rest of the album. Unfortunately, the label chickened out, and the album was not heard from again until Holly took initiative herself and put it out. It's one of the best albums from around the turn of the century, because it has a very unique stylistic approach. Music like that is sorely missed in most of what is played on the radio these days, but songs like "Something Else", my personal choice for 1st single, "Switched", or "Mannequins" are very catchy. Slower titles like "A Rose By Any Other Name" and "Divided" seem almost meditative in sound. And "Is Anybody Home", "Flash Flood" and especially, "Small Room" belong to the best tracks that Howie B has produced so far (and these include "Discotheque" by U2, "Ponderosa" by Tricky and Martina, "All Is Full Of Love" by Bjork, and "Leila" by Les Negresses Vertes being the most popular).
The only complaint is that it's too bad that Holly pulled the 13th track called "Happily Ever After" that was present on early promo copies, from this release. Hopefully, she'll put it out on another CD, because this is her best album yet, and the bonus track really should be on it as well.
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Two masterpieces this year. Very different from I Confess. This is very mellow, very dreamy and takes you away to another world. Wonderful at night but equally so on a sunny day.How sexy is A Rose By Any Other Name? Kate Bush must wish she could make an album like this.
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These are all super-soulful songs.  Holly's sound is sculpted here.
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I love the album.  Its beautiful.
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