Disco de Cyndi Lauper: “Sisters of Avalon”

In all honesty, I truly believe that this was one of the best recordings of the 1990's. So many people always have, and sadly always will, think of Cyndi Lauper as the goofy New Wave chick with the Day-Glo hair and the wacky clothes, and really, only two or three of her numerous smash hits from the 80's are even remembered.

I'm going to be shot for this one, and I really don't care; this album, together with "Hat Full of Stars," makes Cyndi's 1980's work look like so much forgettable, trite pop (except "Time After Time," "True Colors," and "Money Changes Everything," which are all immortal). Cyndi plays a number of different instruments on this one, including guitar, recorder, dulcimer, zither, and omnichord. Her voice sounds remarkable, and the arrangements are fresh and invigorating, and utterly original.

The fact that "Sisters of Avalon" was not one of the biggest hits of the last decade is an absolute crime against humanity. The music is all over the place, she borrows from so many different styles. "The Ballad of Cleo and Joe" is a dance-club-ready song with a Middle-Eastern flavor. "Love to Hate" qualifies as grunge. "Hot Gets a Little Cold" and "Fearless" are beautiful folkish songs. "Fall Into Your Dreams" is a really cool slow burn. "Say a Prayer" is what would happen if jazz and rap mated. "Searching" and "Mother" are New Age and yet somehow not. The title cut and "You Don't Know" are anthemic and powerful songs with amazing hooks that should have been chart-toppers.

I feel Cyndi's plunge into obscurity in the '90's can be attributed to a few things; 1) her refusal to stick with the pop formula that made her rich and instead make out-there records like this, for which I truly respect her; 2) she's a female singer who turned the big five-oh in June of 2003. Let's face it, Johnny Cash can have a hit record at 74, but Cyndi Lauper can't have one at 50...it's a double-standard and it bites; 3) the image she had in the '80's, which seems to have permanently and unfortunately labeled her a relic.

Say you were a fan growing up back in the day. Or even if you hated her back in the day. Either way, go ahead and buy this record. You'd never believe this is the same woman that sang that pre-teen slumber party anthem "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."

Cyndi's "Sisters Of Avalon" proved once and for all that she is a talented Lady. Her album came in the years of the return of poppy zappy happy pop, around the beggining of 1997. Sadly it didn't receive that much airplay and it failed to charte any single in the HOt 100, but scoring two Bubbling Under tracks. The leading single "You Don't Know" it's a perfect rock-track that could compete to any established rockers of the mid-90's like Morissette or Crow. But I guess the name Lauper haunted her to the hands of the record players in radio waves, denying her the benefit of the doubt. "The Title Track" my fav one, is an uplifting pop track with great vocals and rhythms, and one of the best opening tracks of any album I have ever heard. Other amazing tracks are the haunting "Searching", the mellow "Unhook The Stars", the funny reagge feelin' "Brimstone on Fire", the twisting "Ballad Of Cleo And Joe", the sweet and slo "Fall Into Your Dreams", the rock age "Love To Hate", the diming "Hot Gets a Lil Cold", oops I almost mentioned all the tracks, already, well guess what the album is that GOOD, so hopefully as many core fans of Lauper mention, people will rediscovered the underrated pop-rock gem, and give a lil respect, an amazin album by Lauper and I'm not afraid to state, maybe her best. *****FIVE STARS

Cyndi Lauper unfortunately suffers the same stigma of other 80's pop superstars...no talent. Which is obvisously untrue- this album is the proof of that. The fact is Cyndi Lauper has one hell of a voice, she ranks right up there with Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and even Tina Turner. "Sisters of Avalon" is a remarkable combination of street smart beats and pop savy melodies. Starting the album is the stunning title track- hold on to your seat. Guitars, synh, and drums will start pouring right out of your speakers! Cyndi definately knows how to grab your attention-and keep it too. The next track is the albums best, "The Ballad of Cleo and Joe". Mixing urban funk and barn yard banging is never an easy combination, but Cyndi does it remarkably, creating an amazing song in the process. Track 4, "You don't Know", is...fabulous. Giving her guitar a good strumming, Cyndi gives a good one-two on to those who aren't so strong. Other stand-outs: "Fearless"-it will take your breath away trust me,"Fall into Your Dreams", and "Mother". Be warned-don't expect to by this album and get old rehashes of her previous work- this is truely and Cyndi to be reckoned with.

I used to think that Cyndi Lauper was the most misunderstood artist in popular music: then it occurred to me that anyone in pop music is by definition, misunderstood. The image and the reality never quite jibe--and the more hyped the image, the harder it is to get to the reality.

Lauper may have had a part in creating the giddy image that seems to haunt her to this day, but I suspect she genuinely thought that her audience would follow her in whatever directions she chose to proceed. (Remember, Cyndi may have been an 80's star, but she was a child of the 60's and probably remembered how people grew along with the Beatles and the Stones).

"Sisters of Avalon" shows Lauper at her most mature. The songs are as eclectic as they ever were, but the album is her most consistent and ambitious work ever. As others have mentioned, her 90's work (93's Hatful of Stars as well as this record) show a mature artist in control of her idiom. The former record was a less joyful affair than this one, though, so if you are looking for grown-up insight and passion, as well as some good solid fun, check out "Sisters of Avalon".

I will truely be forever indebted to Ms Lauper for her album Hat Full of Stars, which helped me get through the death of my father. I never thoguht that I would find an album again which had the content and emotion that I garnered personally; that is, until I got this album early 1997.

Sisters of Avalon marks what is a truly exceptional osmosis and confrims to the world that even after the success of her 12 Deadly Cyns compilation that Cynid has a musical force and vision which packs a punch lyrically and musically; the paradox is that this album showed that Cyndi was having real fun.

All songs co-written by Cyndi and Jan Pulsford in some house on a hill are spellbinding and diveres. The pan-pipe funk of the album's opening title track immediately reveals the trade-mark Lauper confidence, (and with a catchy chorus to boot) in its prime, and is followed closely by a disco recit of a transvestite's double life as a blue-collar worker who becomes a glam queen at nite. Only Cyndi can get away with such a stunt, and she does it with panache.

The album is far from an uptempo affair, although other notable catchy tracks are Brimstone and Fire where she entertains a fantasy lesbian affair to the sounds of a reggae accompaniment.

What is most prevalent about Cyndi's growth and maturity is her vocal prowess and lyrical introspection; she has music to sell, but not without deep, metaphorical and lyrical lyrics.

You Don't Know the album's first release vehemently challenges people who revert to type, and is more angrily expressed by the pseudo-rock/grunge opus that is Love to Hate You, with Patti Smyth vocals to boot.

The real gems of the album however are the ballads. Fall Into Your Dreams, a soothing lullaby written about her son Declan sways along with comfort and warmth, while Unhook the Stars brims with pain and regret. My personal favourite is entitled 'Mother', ethnic in sound and melodically haunting. A true masrerpiece.

It is hard to give a synopsisnof the ablum because of its sheer scope and diversoty in sound, melody and lyrics. Ms Lauper can ably take any style to hand and write originally and sing each song whther ballad, rock, funk or reggae as if she has been crafting that style throughout her life.

Unfortunately it is an album that few recognised and will aprreciate, but it is one secret that you are glad to have a personal appreciation. A lost classic of regrettable proportions