Bonham's 2000 effort, Down Here, was as blunt as its crotch-grabbing cover, with a pro-promiscuity anthem ("Behind every good woman/Lies a trail of men") as its centerpiece. Drawing influence from her classical violin training and grunge's soft/loud dynamic, Bonham's first two albums excelled at artful outrage. This year's Blink the Brightest eliminates her angry outbursts and frank sex-talk (even "Naked" contains only metaphorical nudity). Like fellow Lilith Fair veterans Liz Phair and Alanis Morissette, Bonham has settled into a relatively mellow midlife groove. Onstage, though, she's still hiking up her skirt. Bonham makes bow-stroking seem wanton, yet more dignified than Tori Amos' piano-humping. She moves from violin to guitar to keys, and her equally versatile voice glides from fierce whispers to ecstatic wails.
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