After hearing her surprisingly promising, if somewhat formulaic, first album, I was a little less reluctant to pick up Merril Bainbridge’s second collection. I found myself disturbed when that second album turned out to be even more formulaic than the first, probably thanks to the self-appointed, one-person-focus-groups of the music world, record company executives. The sound of Merril Bainbridge’s second album is very much dictated by the sound of the first, and it probably comes as no surprise that the chief influence seems to be the successful single “Mouth”. There are, however, at least two very impressive tracks on this CD, both of which highlight Merril’s vocal prowess and some very catchy and unusual rhythmic patterns. “Lonely”, 
a bouncy reggae-influenced tune (and the album’s first single), and “Stars Collide”, an ethereal ballad which also displays some reggae chops, are my favorites, and I think that a third album would definitely benefit from more stylistic experimentation along these lines, rather than slavishly following what has gone before. I give this album a cautious recommendation.
- Between the Days (3:40)
- Lonely (3:34)
- Goodbye To Day (4:05)
- Stars Collide (4:19)
- Walk On Fire (3:59)
- Hello (4:02)
- Blindfolded (4:39)
- Love and Terror (3:54)
- When You Call My Name (4:48)
- Big Machine (4:01)
Released by: Universal
Release date: 1998
Total running time: 41:03
