Judie Tzuke - Press Cuttings.
The following article was published in Power Play Magazine - February/March 1999
JUDIE TZUKE
"Secret Agent"
Big Moon Records
***Highly Recommended***
Even by her own standards, 1998 has not been a happy year for Judie.
This album should have been released back in the spring, but instead
Judie found herself in mourning for her mother, and if that wasn't
enough, she became seriously ill herself with both pneumonia and
pleurisy. Some year then...
Despite, or maybe even because of all this, in "Secret Agent" she has
made a wonderful record that should finally give her the renewed
wider success she so richly deserves. It's an album that crosses many
genres, while still remaining at heart pure Judie Tzuke. Anyone with
a weakness for the gentler end of AOR will love this, as it is a
melodic dream, complete with a jazzier touch than Judie has chosen to
show before. In places it reminds me of pop diva Sade, something I
would never have cared for a few years ago. In this context however,
it works well.
There has been a shift in the (ahem) balance of power within the
Tzuke camp; guitarist Dave Goode now writes a majority of the songs
with Judie, and so the change is not too surprising. Long gone are
the heavy songs a la "I'm Not A Loser" and in their place are cooler,
jazzier numbers like "Tonight", "Both Alone", "The Girl I Want To
Be", "Little Cloud" and "Dancing On Charcoal".
The production also deserves a mention as it has that all enveloping
warmth that was the trademark of her "Wonderland" opus, and that I
felt was missing from last year's "Under The Angels" album. It was
done in-house, as Judie owns two record labels - Big Moon and
Antidote, and is a lovely job folks.
There are in total twelve new songs here and not a weak link in
sight. The album ends on a melancholy note with the poignant
"Mother", a haunting song with a touching lyric that makes me shiver.
After twenty years Judie, hubby Paul, Mike & co are totally where
they want to be, and it shows. This album is a rare and precious
jewel and you should all treasure Judie Tzuke our country's best kept secret.
"Secret Agent" is available direct from: Big Moon Records, P.O. Box
347, Weybridge, Surrey, KTl3 9WZ, Credit card hotline 44(0)1932 859472.
Simon Gausden
POWERPLAY ISSUE 9 · FEBRUARY/MARCH 1999
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