Fan Dance
For Sam Phillips, the days of star-making big-budget productions have passed. Having moved from Virgin, her major-label sponsor throughout the '90s, to Nonesuch, Phillips and longtime producer and husbandT Bone Burnetthave set aside the Beatle-esque pop that marked her uncovered 1988 gemThe Indescribable Wowand the effervescent exotica that informed 1996'sOmnipopfor a more subdued approach. Still, the CD boasts the kind of complex lyrical passion that is a Phillips trademark. Phillips/Burnett collaborations have long been marked by sterling musicianship andFan Danceis no exception:Van Dyke Parks,Marc Ribot, andGillian Welchare among the contributors here. But the star of the show remains Phillips, whose vibrant personality shines brightly throughout this welcome comeback.--Steven Stolder