This short and sweet CD-5 release from
Adrian Belew is a rather pleasant addition to his catalog, especially for
Belew fans. The disc features Adrian's duets with
David Bowie (from the
Young Lions CD) and daughter Audie (from
Mr. Music Head), but also contains two previously unreleased tracks. These non-LP cuts are both acoustic guitar showpieces: the multi-layered "Neptune Pool," a paced instrumental, reveals a lulling quality with its addition of subtle, synthetic washes of ocean waves meeting the shore. And the brief "Shoe Salesman" appeals with its ditty-like simplicity and lyrical content, with humorous touches like "she's in love for the first time...again." Each duet on the disc received substantial radio airplay, rather uncommon for
Belew. "Pretty Pink Rose" scored because of its solid pop quality; it also features one of Bowie's most impressive efforts from the period. And "Oh Daddy" garnered attention with its catchy, almost novelty-like pop sound. It was an even bigger hit on MTV, with daughter
Audie Belew competing against Adrian's stylish suits and pink guitars for the starring role. ~ David Ross Smith