Juliette & The Licks - 'You're Speaking My Language' (Hassle) Released 16/05/05

Juliette Lewis' should have quit while she was ahead. After appearing as a guest vocalist on the Prodigy's 'Hot Ride (which could easily be hailed as one of the singles of the year) she and her Licks have managed to create an album that is surprisingly average. Oh God that’s dull isn’t it? 

Well, thing is Juliette Lewis and her Licks just aren’t inspiring like they should be.  Movie stars making records – the principal is usually vom inducing, think Hasslehoff and his bouffant astride the Berlin Wall,  think Keanu and ‘Dogstar’ in smelly leather trousers trying to ‘rock-out’, while all the time looking self conscious as hell as he tries to remember his chords. It’s the blinding white heat of arrogance that does it you see. It convinces someone who is an OK actor that they can use their ‘god given creativity’ in any damn arena they like and we, the dumb public will just love it and understand their creative urges.

Juliette is different. So people say…Who are these people for God’s sake? They need shaking! Juliette was a good actor once; she is now an uninspiring musician. OK she’s alternative, a bit wild, a history like Keith Richards and all… So, now here she is, all shiny and new and flexing her shouty muscles whilst delivering up a prime piece of punk growl and it’s just not very exciting – it’s just Alanis Morrisette with a better haircut. Scrape the surface and it’s another preening Hasslehoff just straining to get out. It’s the equivalent of Madonna in ‘Body of Evidence’, it’s William Shatner singing ‘Lucy in the Sky’. Music is supposed to inspire, change your world, become the soundtrack to your life and this album just doesn't. 

The problem is that actors do just that: act, and when they move into the arena of music you can’t help but still feel that they are just trying on another role – Punk Juliette or maybe next time (if there is a next time) Bhangra Juliette. OK maybe not, but you get the picture.  There’s just one thing left to find out and that is: ‘has an actor ever made a good record?’ Answers on a postcard please and no J-Lo does not count…