By the time
Alannah Myles recorded her fourth album,
Arival, she had faded completely from the pop spotlight. Neither
Rockinghorse nor
Alannah made much of an impression, so
Arival, in some ways, was a make-or-break album -- it would either jump-start her career or grind it to a halt. Since so much was at stake,
Myles did something she never had before -- she concentrated and recorded a well-constructed, cohesive album. Of course, she doesn't stray from her radio-ready, blues-tinged AOR formula, but she does tone down her tendency for histrionic vocals, and there aren't as many dull spots as on her previous records. It may not have a song as catchy as "Black Velvet," although "Bad 4 You" comes close, but
Arival is
Myles' best record yet. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine