Search - Monday Michiru :: Selections 1997-2000

SELECTIONS and RECOLLECTIONS--start your collection here!

J. Lund | SoCal, USA | 08/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Monday Michiru?s recordings for Polydor are anthologized on this album and its counterpart RECOLLECTIONS. Although all of her albums are worthwhile investments, the totality of these two sets expertly demonstrate the width and depth of Monday?s musical vision. If you are looking to get a satisfying overview of this period, I highly recommend picking up BOTH of these CDs--together they offer an outstanding representation of an artist who is full of ambition and who has the focus to realize her musical vision. SELECTIONS focuses on album tracks and is weighted towards Monday?s two most recent efforts to date: ten of the twelve cuts are from the acclaimed albums OPTIMISTA and FOUR SEASONS. Two earlier hits in Japan (YOU MAKE ME, FAR TO GO) round out the collection, and show that Monday can pen catchy, danceable cuts without lowering her musical standards to fit current pop-culture formulas. Monday?s music resists easy categorization (to call it ?acid jazz? or any other label distracts one from the fact that her music embraces a diversity of styles). By no means is she trying to fit into any category...anyone buying her albums looking for a specific musical genre rather than for the appreciation of her individuality is apt to be disappointed. In this respect she is similiar to Miles Davis, who also saw musical styles as a means rather than an end."