It seems that Annie has written a lighter album with Songs....when you compare it to Bare. I am a very late Annie lennox fan, but I LOVE THIS GAL!! I really enjoy the new younger girls..Duffy, Coco, Trista Prettyman, BUT I am aging and I can't relate so much with their world experiences so much. I love Annie because I get what she is experiencing. I wish more women writers and singers were as honest as her. I love her writing more than the actual music. I have really enjoyed recently getting all her albums recently and raging with her in the car, in house, and all over. Finally my husband came up to me while I was loudly playing "Sing"...and said..okay not every wants to hear the sisters singing!!!LOL!! Can't wait for her next album!! I am a fan!!!

Considering that Annie Lennox released her first solo album Diva shortly after the Eurythmics disbanded, you would think that she wouldn't take so long with subsequent releases. True, the three-year gap before Medusa came out wasn't a HUGE break, but Bare didn't appear until 2003. Now, Annie comes at us with her fourth album, Songs of Mass Destruction.

Although some of the songs on here are a little dark, they aren't as blatant as what was found on much of Bare (which isn't a bad album, by the way). Such songs include "Through the Glass Darkly", "Lost" and "Dark Road". And Annie's activism also has a presence on here, as evidenced by the feministic tracks "Sing" and "Womankind".

Another good selection is the final track, "Fingernail Moon". Speaking of which, as was the case with most of her post-Eurythmics albums, there are mainly ballads on here, and when she shoots for funky tracks, she hits ("Ghosts in My Machine") and misses ("Love is Blind"). Her vocals go a little off-key from time to time too. Oh, well; while Diva remains her best solo album, Songs of Mass Destruction proves that Annie's talent is still going strong.

Anthony Rupert

I have been a die-hard Annie Lennox fan since her early days as one half of the Eurythmics. Since she went solo, I've loved all of her albums and Songs of Mass Destruction is no different.

All of the songs on this album are powerful and emotive and really force me to confront my inner feelings. The song Dark Road is one of the most brilliant songs ever written. Even the uptempo songs have more depth than usual pop ditty we hear on the waves. The dark cloud that hangs over this album is that Annie was dropped by her record label shortly after its release due to poor first week sales. What a shame that we still have to measure the "success" of this album based on its commercial appeal.

Nonetheless, I want to congratulate Annie on a powerful album that resonates with me on every level. Some reviewers have complained that the wait between her albums is too long. Can anyone on here honestly say that the wait hasn't been worth it? She "cooks" each of her albums to perfection and I'll wait for her next release (on a different label) for as long as it takes.

One of her best Albums, hey what can I say, bought it the day it came out and almost 8 months later it's an album that I still listen to on a weekly basis. I'll get many years of enjoyment out of this album. Creative! Thanx Annie.

this is awesome blues-funk-soul annie creativity in full effect!!! it shows she rocks with the best of them and her soulfull voice is an absolute gemstone...

I personally believe Annie Lennox can do no wrong. With that said, it does make me sad that the wait between projects from her is so long.
But this album is well worth the wait. Being able to preorder on this site is a blessing. And this album is an amazing work of art. From the power of "Dark Road" to the desperate longing of "Fingernail Moon", there is not a bad track in the mix.
Her new signature song "Sing" (which was influenced by the pleas of Nelson Mandela to be aware of the AIDS pandemic) brought together over twenty of the top female recording artists. Singing about solidarity and that no matter who tries to bring you down, you can win.
It's truly Annie's world, and we just live in it!

I bought this cd for my mom and we both love it. One of her best cd's yet.

The title previews the music. The songs are powerful and intense, at times I needed a rest.

I have loved Annie from the early days. Her voice and keyboards are great as always, but this lacks the catchy hits that were mixed with the tender ballads and dance tracks on the earlier solo releases. I will have to listen to this a few more times.

There is no voice that continues to shine so well through the years. The writing and sensibilities are exquisite.
Just don't make the mistake of watching her narsasistic videos...wonderfully shot, but after a while you want to stop watching her mug lip sinc.

Songs of Mass Destruction burns with the usual Annie Lennox fervour. Her voice has darkened in timbre, and she can no longer hit her upper register with the ease she once did. But her voice is so singular that it makes the material worth listening to no matter what she is singing. Unfortunately, Glenn Ballard's overtly commercial production sterilizes them songs which makes many of the sound no different than the latest Madonna or Beyonce product. Several stellar tracks,( Dark Road, Love is Blind, Smithereens and Ghosts in my Machine) coupled with Lennox's expressive alto make for a worthwhile listen overall. While Annie's glorious voice is always worth listening to, much of Songs of Mass Destruction isn't.

I'm an Annie Lennox fan but when this album first was released I listened to the 20 second samples and only found "Dark Road" worth downloading. Then recently I found the album at my local library and listened to the entire album. I like every song on the album and went out and purchased it. I just didn't get the "sound" of each song from the samples. So find a record store or borrow a copy from someone who has it and listen to the entire songs rather than the samples in making your decision whether to buy this one.

When I got this album last fall and listened to it for the first time, I thought it was a very nice album and then I got to the 'Sing' track and was blown away. The choir of 23 on the track reads like a who's who of female singers including Bonnie Raitt, Madonna and Faith Hill among others. The song is a tribute to Annie's Aids/Hiv fight. This song alone is worth the cost of the cd but there's lots more here both ballads and up tempo tunes. Annie plays piano and keyboards on some of these selections. She also wrote all the songs. Lyrics are included. Who but Annie could write a song called 'Colored Bedspread' or 'Fingernail Moon' and make it work. Good going Annie and we look forward to more of the same.

Incredible collection of songs by a master singer and songwriter. Signature blues tinged vocals and she delves deeper into social consciousness and the ultimate responsibility that each os us has to one another and to our world.



Being a vocalist, I enjoy how Annie spotlights the singer in every track....her background vocals are sometimes more interesting than the lead! She is considered by many to be the world's best white soul singer. More importantly, she is an incredible human being.....this shines through her work. She also is an incredible live performer.....never out of tune or out of step. Most of your singers today can onlyt make albums, they can't really sing------sing she always does and gives it her all!


I love tracks 1---5 the best! I also love falling asleep to Fingernail Moon!

The only song that I was not totally enthralled with was SING... I do admire what the anthem was used for however. Though she has 26 other star studded singers on the track....we only really hear one sing solo....Madonna and she is backed up by Annie herself.


I never have to worry about not getting my moneys worth from a Lennox project.....I have them all.

Annie Lennox is amazing. Feels every word she sings - and the music on this CD shows her off. Worth Buying.

This album is worth a lot more than $18. I would pay $50 for this easily. No questions asked. Annie Lennox's music will be here still selling in the year 2107. It's the sound of beautiful captured on a compact disc.

Timeless and essential to everyone living in the 21st century.

Buy this album.

For Annie Lennox lovers, a good collection of songs all written and composed by her. The good old sound, echoing Eurithmics elements, yet mature, ballanced and powerful.

Annie Lenox has never let me down and this CD delivers all of her best and more. Just buy it , put it in your player and enjoy, you wont be disapointed.

This is Annie's finest solo album to date - eleven killer tracks that showcase the range of her songwriting and voice. Annie delivers the goods and then some. Listen to her stretch her bluesy voice on "Love Is Blind" and "Ghosts In My Machine" and you'll wonder why she didn't try this kind of stuff sooner. This album is packed full of hits you'll never hear on the radio, but won't regret buying. Also featured here is the charity song "Sing" featuring Madonna and a host of other female stars, all joining their voices to to bring attention to the African AIDS genocide. "Songs of Mass Destruction" showcases an artist at her absolute peak and does not disappoint.

"Coloured Bedspread": Perhaps the best Eurythmics circa "Sweet Dreams" song we've never heard. Listen to those lyrics... stellar hot. The rest of this CD is touch and go. "Ghosts in My Machine" is the star. Awesome. Love that piano/squeeze box THANG at the beginning! So Northern Exposure. "Love Is Blind": Reminds me of Eurythmics cira "Missionary Man". My GOD, what can't Annie do??? She has been it ALL. Time for some jazz standards, Hun'! YOU CAN DOIT!!!

This is a very powerful CD, lyrics are dark but it packs a punch and there is something for everyone. Bound to strike a chord with most people.

Gad, Annie still has it! She wrote all this music and it is just classic Annie Lennox: the passion, the vocal range...phenomenal. There is only one song that I don't love as much as the rest, ("Sing") but the rest I just crank my sound in my car and ROCK OUT.

So far, I've been a bit disapointed in this album. The first track and maybe one or two others are quite charming. Other than that, I find the lyrics to be very, very, Annie. Her lyric writing feels to similar between these songs, and other Annie songs on other Annie albums.

I really, really, really, hate and detest the AIDS awareness song! Really. It's good that she's commited to a cause, but I don't think doing a BAD song about the cause is a good way for her to make any gains in the area.

I must admit I kind of hate cheesey "cause" songs, so...I may not be the most impartial here. But, as cheesey "cause" songs go...this one is poor, even for the genre. Lyrically, it reminds me of "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves". That's what I was talking about before, the lyrics here sound like a rehash of every other Annie song.

Oddly, I find the lyrical content of this particular song way too direct and preachy and intelectually boring. Annie usually buries the meanings of her songs in layers of deep metaphor. The gimick of all the other famous females doesn't really come accross. The track doesn't really highlight anyone elses performance. The melody is poor, trite, and uninspiring and the goofy intro just comes off as another gimick.

I loved Diva and Bare, this album just isn't there. I will admit though, I might have quite a different opinion in six months. Annie has been one of those artists who's new music usually has to grow and grow and grow on me.

This CD is not Diva, not Medusa, and not Bare. It's actually all of them! It seems that each of Annie's solo efforts has a different twist to it. If you listen carefully and you happen to be a Eurythmics fan, you may actually hear echos of styles heard on records before Eurythmics were even popular in the US.
There is no one on earth who can capture the pain and suffering of being human the way Annie does. There are always songs in her collections that highlight world-weariness, emotional pain and self-loathing. They are the most beautiful "downers" put to music.
It seems that perhaps her music becomes a bit less "danceable" as she herself matures with age. However, there are still a couple of numbers that are definitely "groove-worthy".
That said, I'm sure that those who were not more appreciative of the effort felt that there wasn't enough of whatthey had heard on previous favorite Lennox CDs.

Loved it! Annie sounds like she did on her first solo LP - Diva! Every track was great!

Annie Lennox is a great singer. She brings more emotional wallop to a song than many others; this therefore always makes her CDs interesting and worth owning. Glen Ballard's production is also excellent, giving each track a distinctive instrumental feel and treatment. Mike Owen's photography in the booklet and for the cover is also stunning, dramatic and distinctive. The weakness of the set IMHO is the music. Lennox's lyrics are as always absorbing and provocative. However, her melodies this time through don't seem terribly original or memorable. That said, I do like "Ghost in My Machine" with its banging piano opening and rocking rhythm and Lennox's driving vocal that brings to my mind a Dylanesque flavor with her swagger. "Sing" is amazing for its upbeat lyric and the Choir of 23 star-studded backups with Angelique Kidjo, Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Etheridge and Madonna among others. The other tracks aren't particularly bad; they just aren't gripping or overly memorable. Even when Lennox the songwriter puts out an average set, Lennox the singer is going to serve them up so they go down easy. Enjoy!

Annie Lennox is always worth listening to. All of the songs on this CD are good but I didn't find any to really be extraordinary as I have on some of her previous CD's. She's never been an artist who records "happy songs" and this is not an exception. The music is generally dark (hence, the title) although there are a few glimpses of light heartedness.

If you like Annie Lennox, you'll enjoy the CD. If you're not really familiar with her music, try her Medusa album first.

Nothing but praise here. A true artist with no signs of slowing down. Annie seems to have the knack for picking the perfect mixture of upbeat and more somber tones so don't worry about this album being too serious. It has a lot of melodic rythmic sounds going on reminiscent of her past stuff, with the added bonus in my opinion of taking on serious feelings and issues when it needs to. I only wish a work of art could really help to change the world for the better. I think Annie would definitely agree and maybe this is her best effort to do so.

In my personal opinion Annie Lenox has the most
beautiful voice in the world!
I understand the message she was trying to get across with her music, but unfortunatley it just did not move me at all. Very disappointed.

I grew to love Annie Lennox only a few years ago but have been reluctant to actually buy her CD's fearing maybe I would only like one or two of the tracks. Clearly the risk and gamble I took with Songs of Mass Destruction paid off. Each song is special, unique to only Ms Lennox, mixed with meaningful lyrics and soulful spirit. I'm actually short for words for once in my life...just buy this, you won't be sorry you did, and you will surely get many years of listening pleasure.

PS. Isn't she beautiful too? The Britneys of the music scene today can never come close to this kind of raw talent in my humble opinion.

Probably her strongest effort in a long time. If you are a fan in the first place this is a must have!!!

Annie Lennox's gorgeous voice is a paradoxical blend of sadness and joy, frailty and strength, woe and wonderment. Songs of Mass Destruction is a masterpiece that reflects Annie's talents as a vocalist, back-up singer, composer, and lyricist. These songs will get under your skin and into your soul.

The album begins gently, with "Dark Road." Simple musical accompaniment lets Annie's passionate lead vocal stand out, as she weaves a wistful, pessimistic yet hopeful message to a loved one. The song builds in intensity, peaks, and ends calmly. The next cut, "Love Is Blind," is remarkably intense, with a rock vibe, superb back-up echoing harmonies, and an incredible conclusion with Annie repeating the words "so screwed up" six times. "Smithereens," a beautiful ballad that builds to a dramatic crescendo, is followed by "Ghosts in the Machine," another driving rock song which is a blast to sing along with.

"Womankind" features Annie harmonizing and singing back-up for herself, which is always a joy, and a rap from Nadirah X. "Through the Glass Darkly" is my favorite cut on the album, with a vocal that soars. "Lost" begins simply and builds into a layered, rich drama. "Coloured Bedspread" is a paean to a blanket. Why? Why not! This sounds very much like a Eurythmics track.

"Sing," the song to raise awareness for a treatment that prevents pregnant HIV positive women from passing on the disease to their children, has been discussed a fair bit by others here; it is fun to try to pick out voices of some of the other singers who offered their voices. "Big Sky" is another vehicle for Annie to demonstrate the range, clarity, and power of her voice, and the poignant final song, "Fingernail Moon," is a bit of musical harmonic heaven.

I would urge those who did not get hooked on first listen to give the album a chance. I've been playing it non-stop for days, and with each listen I discover new pleasures and new beauty.

And finally, if you have the chance to see Annie perform live, you'll be amazed. I saw her last weekend, and the performance was just incredible. She has so much energy, and her joy in performing is clear. And oh, that voice...

For myself, Annie Lenox has forever been one of the great voices in pop music since I first heard her in the early 80's...I fell in love with her unique sound almost instantly. For the most part since she's been solo her works have been imaginative and heartfelt...especially her last effort Bare and certainly Diva before that. This collection of songs just seemed to have nothing to pull it together to capture the listener, nothing unique to entrance or pull me in itself. Dark Road and Big Sky I would say were the only two songs on the collection for me that I can really say I liked to some degree...such a shame. I had waited in great anticipation for her new cd as did all her fans, I only wish the wait had been worth it more so. I still enjoy her voice immensely, just not this collection of songs.

The voice I love is there. The phrasing still moves me. The material is tiresome.

Stephen King throws some stinkers between great works. These are stories that must be told before we get to the good stuff.

Ms. Lennox does the same thing on this album. Perhaps she works these through her system before delivering a gem.

Count me a NEW FAN ! Annie Lennox has always been on the edge of my listening taste , but I decided to check this new album out and I am so glad I did !! I am sooo.. Impressed by the writing, the incredible vocals, the mix and production. I see Glen Ballard has a hand in this and It sure didn't hurt ! Every song a gem.. One of the best ( if not the best ! ) albums I have purchased and listened to ( again and again ) this year ! DO BUY THIS ONE !! A new fan.....