'Til Tuesday

Just how radically 'Til Tuesday evolved during its three-album run is illustrated by Coming Up Close: A Retrospective. The superb CD kicks into high gear with three sleek, heavily produced new wave gems from the band's debut album of 1985, Voices Carry: "Love in a Vacuum," "You Know the Rest," and the hit title song. But as fresh-sounding and popular as that material was, lead singer Aimee Mann was dissatisfied. One hears Tuesday moving from keyboard-driven new wave to a more organic, less produced, folk-influenced sound on "Coming Up Close," "No One Is Watching You Now," "David Denies," and other songs from Tuesday's 1986 sophomore effort, Welcome Home. And with its finale, Everything's Different Now, the Boston residents moved even further in that direction. "J For Jules," "Limits to Love," "Rip in Heaven," "Why Must I," and "Long Gone Buddy" have little in common with the tunes from Voices Carry, except for the fact that Mann and co. always had a great melodic sense. All three of Tuesday's albums are worth having, but for novices, Coming Up Close would be the best starting point. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide