"My Life Of Crime" is a stunning, major achievement from start to finish, on par with the best of any album I've listened to over many, many years, indie or otherwise. Mary Ann Farley has so much truth to tell us, and the music, as well as the production and arrangement, is amazingly inspiring, moving, innovative and totally fresh. I can easily make comparisons to, or hear influences from The Beatles to Kate Bush, Michael Penn to Elliot Smith, Suzanne Vega to Liz Phair -- and yet there is nothing on this album that is not totally original, revealing and honest and completely at ease in the company of all those great artists I just mentioned. I haven't stopped listening to the album nearly all day every day (on "repeat all") since I purchased it, and it's been over a month now (obsessive yes) but I don't want to listen to anything else until I'm completely worn out by this one. I usually guage an album by how long it takes me to exhaust it -- anything over a week is a really good album -- whereas hundreds are heard only once and then stuck directly in the CD rack, where they look way better than they sound, and remain silent as they should. I like having Mary Ann's soulful, musical, lyrical movements flowing around in my head when the CD isn't playing too, because this work is that memorable, and will make you feel really good about being yourself, warts and all. It will stick with you, and that's a good thing. I think that Mary Ann Farley is completely on par, for example with Elliot Smith, another favorite of mine, and surpasses Liz Phair and most of the later work of Suzanne Vega -- not only sophisticated and edgy at the same time, but damn rockin' too -- it moves, and it moves -- you. I think the comparison to Elliott Smith is the most valid, but at least we are still fortunate enought to still have Mary Ann around making albums like this one (RIP ES). I can only wish for her that she'll finally get the international recognition she deserves, like Elliot Smith finally did after so many years of making great and important music that only those in the know got to hear. Perhaps the world will stop for a listen in at Mary Ann's feet when she finally gets the sort of exposure, for example, that an important film could give her -- certainly every one of the songs on "My Life Of Crime" is highly suitable for a wide range of films, and I think many of them could (and should) be easily placed there. Finally, it is also evident that the producers, engineers and musicians on this album have made impressive and very strong contributions to this perfect album, shining on brightly with Mary Ann, completely in sync with her vision and artistry. What a great ensemble, in front of and behind the desk! They all should drop everything else right now and tour with this lineup. I can only complete this review by mentioning that this album is one of those rare finds that you wish the entire world could be turned on to right away, the sooner the better.

I absolutely love this record! It is now in heavy rotation in my home right along side other top singer/songwriters like Aimee Mann, Michael Penn and Glenn Tillbrook. Mary Ann is an excellent lyricist, singer and musician. Definitely a new favorite.

Mary Ann has outdone herself with this disc. Her first, "Daddy's Little Girl," was wonderful, and this new one is no sophomore slump. It proudly lives up to her first, even exceeding it in many ways...the most soulful and heartfelt ear candy I've heard in a long time.