Pop Albums: Marcella Detroit - Feeler

AAA CD1

Aiming for a similar blend of eclecticism and social observation as Aimee Mann, Marcella Detroit falls between a variety of stools on Feeler. The album's over-egged arrangements betray a fatal uncertainty of direction, as she slips from the late-period Beatle-isms of "Flower" and "Boy" to the turgid prog-rock of "Elaine's Addiction". Then there is the ill-judged combination of piercing guitar and whistling that embellishes "Without Medication".

Detroit's problem is one of over-abundant choice - she's a good guitarist, a good pianist, a good vocalist, a good harmonica player, and probably pretty nifty on bass and drums, too, but she needs more discipline as to their application. Unfortunately, Feeler possesses little of the focus of her previous solo album, and more worryingly, there is nothing here with the poise of that LP's "The Art Of Melancholy".