Widely regarded as contemporary Christian music's best lyricist, Steve Taylor resembles Leonard Cohen in that his music takes a definite back seat to his smart and witty wordslinging. Taylor, though, is as much comedian as poet. While On the Fritz feels a little less like a novelty record than his previous albums, several of the songs are still essentially satirical sketches with musical accompaniment. In Lifeboat, for example, Taylor adopts a pepper pot falsetto and portrays a female headmistress who teaches her students the superficial values of a culture obsessed with physical beauty. When Taylor does sing, he usually employs one of two character voices (one a high-pitched, manic nasal yell, the other a sinister deep-throated affectation). The effect is almost that of a substantive Weird Al Yankovic, but Taylor's genius with words extends beyond his razor-sharp comic timing. He also has the ability to communicate insights of some wisdom and depth with originality and power. The Joe Walsh-esque pop on this album doesn't demonstrate that as well as his later albums (particularly the sweepingly cinematic I Predict 1990 and the fragmented poetry he wrote with Chagall Gueverra). But in moments like the jangly U2 pop anthem I Forgive, On the Fritz shows signs that Taylor's range of expression was steadily expanding. ~ Darryl Cater, Rovi

1		This Disco (Used to Be a Cute Cathedral)
2		On the Fritz
3		It's a Personal Thing
4		To Forgive
5		You've Been Bought
6		You Don't Owe Me Nothing
7		I Manipulate
8		Lifeboat
9		Drive, He Said
10		I Just Wanna Know

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