Lauryn Hill
MTV Unplugged

THE REVIEW

My machine gun is a double bass that shoots you in the face sang Demetrio Stratos in '74, and that's probably what the beautiful Lauryn Hill thought when she released this MTV Unplugged a couple of years ago.

A committed and "substantial" album for the former pop-easy listening queen (formerly of the Fugees), who transitioned, over the course of a couple of albums, from pure entertainment to composing these songs of anger and revolt. Songs that talk about civil rights, politics, the situation of women—basically, "heartfelt" and, if I may say, "committed" songs. It's not "commitment de noantri" flaunted by our four domestic singers to promote their albums at Live8, or the pseudo donations made to pseudo organizations with the proceeds from pseudo sales, etc. Lauryn's commitment seeps out of every note played on this album, songs like speeches and "sweaty" notes that speak of struggle and revolution. For our heroine, who consciously moved from the golden limousines of the POP world to the barricades of political song, today she doesn't need much. Having renounced the luxuries of a life as a pop star, imagined dull and empty (or at least that's how we like to imagine it), the revolutionary Hill wields the guitar like a machine gun, and on a bare stage without tricks and without lights, she sings her stories with the soul and interpretation of a tired but fierce Amazon.

Her out-of-tune notes and rare moments where her voice falters are beautiful and "felt," giving the performance of the songs a warmth and a sense of truth that's even more engaging... truly goosebump-inducing moments. For once, a singer who takes the "reverse" path, unlike most who start off as "rockers and damned" only to settle down, with time and age (and let's say it, thanks to a substantial bank account) into more relaxed and calm registers (just look at the National Blasco, for instance) at best. Critics and philosophers at worst.
The album is perhaps excessively long and wordy, putting to the test those who only get by with American slang, yet it still deserves our applause.

So, a round of applause to the courage and greatness of this Artist who dared to question herself by taking the most challenging and risky path an artist can take: two lights, a voice, and a guitar. There's no cheating here, no mega productions, no strobe effects, no spotlights or mega TV promotions, no four rotating stages or crummy "campivolos".
Here you're bare: whether you have a soul or not, you feel it here. No kidding.