On her 1995 debut, Curtis hints at the wise songwriting of her more mature work, even if she doesn't always seem sure of the way there. She stumbles a bit with forced images (the lover in "Crocodile Tears" threatens to gobble her up), awkward humor (in "Slave to My Belly" she converses with her tummy), and a few strained defenses of her sexuality. At the same time, Curtis offers what remains her finest song, "Troubled Mind," with its braided, fingerstyle guitar figures and simple, pure refrain: "I'm tired from all the weight / I'm tired of being strong / So won't you come and stay / And let me lay down in your arms." Curtis is often compared to Shawn Colvin, but Colvin hasn't written or sung this soulfully since her own debut. Guest spots from fellow New Englanders John Gorka (harmony) and Patty Larkin (guitar) complement Curtis's lucid, clean folk rock. --Roy Kasten
