Cyndi Lauper Returns With New Album
But "Bring Ya to the Brink" Fails to Match Singer's Reputation
Nov 2, 2008
It might seem hard for younger listeners to believe, but a couple of decades ago, Cyndi Lauper was one of the biggest stars in the music industry. Back then, in fact, conversations about Lauper and Madonna often turned into debates about which star would have the better career.
Madonna Vs. Cyndi
Each singer might have been more style than substance, to be sure, but each had a style that bucked the trend of female pop singers of the day. Rather than fitting into prepackaged molds, they set trends for others to follow.
Where Are They Now?
Since then, however, the two have taken drastically different career paths. Madonna became a superstar, crossing over from music into movies and back, marrying some celebrities (and allegedly coupling with others), even winning an Academy Award -- not for her acting, of course, but for "This Used to Be My Playground," a song from the film A League of Their Own.
Lauper, in contrast, fell off the mainstream radar for years, occasionally reappeared with a new album that might have found an audience abroad but failed to gain traction within an American pop music scene that seemingly had changed and left her behind.
A Disappointing Comback
Now she is back with Bring Ya to the Brink, her latest attempt to regain her star status. Unfortunately, the album disappoints because it fails to capture the originality of the artist many of us came to know and love all those years ago.
Brink presents a shell of the Lauper of the eighties by drowning her in a sea of house music beats. The mundane rhythms sound so much like every other dance tune played in house clubs that two negative effects emerge.
First, Lauper's shortcomings as a vocalist are highlighted by comparison. Lauper seems out of her element -- and, by extension, in someone else's element. The album's beats and melodies are reminiscent of half a dozen dance artists, but those singers thrive in the genre while the uniqueness and passion in Lauper's voice are muted.
Second, some (albeit too few) instances of clever, thoughtful songwriting are lost among the bass thumps and techno tunes. "Set Your Heart," the most noteworthy example, has the potential to be a lovely, heartwarming declaration of devotion, but it would be much better served in a different musical interpretation.
Professor Arrington's Grade: F
On one hand, Lauper is to be applauded for venturing into previously unchartered territory (for her, anyway). However, Brink's lackluster execution leaves the listener longing for the Lauper of old instead of enjoying the new yet unimproved version. Sadly, the album brings us to the brink of a passing grade but comes up short.
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