Lesbian Favorites: Women Like Us CD

A portion of the proceeds from LESBIAN FAVORITES: WOMEN LIKE US will go to benefit the Lambda Legal Defense And Education Fund.

Includes liner notes by Phranc and Gretchen Phillips.

Lesbian Favorites: Women Like Us is an obvious attempt to cash in on the "lesbian chic" of the '90s -- it's targeted at upscale liberals, not necessarily lesbians, who were raised on the college rock of the late '80s. Not all of the artists featured on this 18-track collection are lesbian, but most of them are favorites of lesbians, and a few are simply associated with the lesbian audience. Much of the music sits well together -- k.d. lang, Ani DiFranco, Dar Williams, Janis Ian, Jane Siberry, Ferron, Disappear Fear, Phranc, Gretchen Phillips, Tanita Tikaram and Two Nice Girls are all similar stylistically -- but a few tracks, like the dance of Fem 2 Fem or the MOR of Taylor Dayne, are jarring in this context. Still, the bulk of Lesbian Favorites sounds good together, even though Rhino's motivations behind the release are questionable and the slightly condescending tone of their packaging and marketing is disagreeable. ~ Thom Owens