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Fearless Love
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Fearless Love Image
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

  • Summary: The multiple-award winning singer-songwriter works with producer John Shanks on her latest album, which also features vocals from Joss Stone and Natasha Bedingfield.

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Fearless Love
Oh, oh, oh When I woke up, I was 17 You kissed my lips in a bad, bad dream Showed me things aren't what they appear to be Called me angel and set me... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Rolling Stone
    70
    Fearless Love, Melissa Etheridge's feistiest disc since her 1988 debut, blurs the difference between hard-earned personal experience and social commentary.
  2. Billboard.com
    70
    Produced with plenty of rock-radio muscle by her original guitarist, John Shanks, the 12-song set comes packed with the kind of room-rousing choruses Etheridge specialized in during her early-'90s commercial heyday
  3. The New York Times
    70
    Mostly, though, she’s tough, and this album, ambitiously produced by John Shanks, matches up, with broad, bruising rock arrangements. (The second half of the album softens musically and the lyrics veer toward inspirational blandness.)
  4. Q Magazine
    60
    At its worst Etheridge is a sub-Springsteen mistress of the lyrically obvious. But when she hitches a poetic directness to a thumping tune on The Wanting Of You and Company, she's in a league of her impassioned own. [Aug 200, p.119]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. Boston Globe
    60
    Most of the moments of quiet introspection sag, though. It’s only in those heavier numbers where Etheridge’s best asset, her scarred, emotive croon works its visceral voodoo.
  6. PopMatters
    50
    As far as a full-on comeback album, Fearless Love‘s songs as a whole aren’t strong enough to make for a great rock album, due to a lack of indelible hooks, yes, but also because nothing here really boogies.
  7. AllMusic
    40
    Perhaps if this production were scaled back a notch or two, Fearless Love wouldn’t feel quite so oppressive, but its oversized sound fits Etheridge’s sense of self: she’s boxed herself into a corner where she only makes music that sounds important…whether it actually is important winds up being beside the point.

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. philippems
    Feb 27, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fearless Love 'is incredible. A lot of emotion and deep songs. 'The Wanting of You', 'Indiana' and 'We Are The Ones' is definitely the best.

    Fearless Love: Animated, appealing.
    The Wanting of You: Wow, exciting.
    Company: Cozy, beautiful.
    Miss California: Strong.
    Drag Me Away: Interesting, beautiful.
    Indiana: Wonderful, Thoughtful.
    Nervous: A good rock, great melody.
    Heaven On Earth: Activist, incredible.
    We Are The Ones: Great rock, very good.
    Only Love: Calm and waking.
    To Be Loved: Cozy.
    Gently We Row: Simple and Finalizing.    … Expand