Description
Graham Parker – The Mona Lisas Sister – Cassette
The Mona Lisa’s Sister is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Graham Parker, released in 1988. It marked a departure from Parker’s previous albums, featuring a more polished and pop-oriented sound compared to his earlier rock and new wave-influenced works. THE MONA LISA’S SISTER marks both a creative and commercial resurgence for the vituperative Parker.
The album is named after a painting by Salvador Dalí, reflecting Parker’s fascination with art and creativity. It showcases Parker’s sharp songwriting skills and distinctive vocal style, combined with a blend of catchy melodies and thoughtful lyrics.
After a series of middling albums, Parker got his feisty self back into fighting form and got down to recording an album that packs the punch of his best earlier work.Parker achieved success here by stripping away all unnecessary accompaniment. That his strongest work in years was also his most quiet is not mere coincidence. Parker realized he wasn’t the angry young man he was back in 1976 and avoided trying to recreate bluster that he didn’t feel.
The Mona Lisa’s Sister incorporates a variety of musical styles, including pop, rock, and soul, while retaining Parker’s signature wit and social commentary in the lyrics. The album explores themes of love, relationships, and the human condition, with Parker’s insightful and introspective songwriting shining through.
Though the iron-willed determination is still firmly in place (“Don’t Let it Break You Down” and “Get Started. Start a Fire”), Parker’s not jumping up and down quite so loudly about it anymore. Despite the fact that the acoustic-flavored album leans toward atypically contemplative fare (“Blue Highway” and “Success”), Parker certainly hasn’t retired to the easy chair. Certainly, the murderous “Under the Mask of Happiness” and grisly “OK Hieronymus” will whet the appetites of those longing for the singer’s legendary fury. But alas, the fury takes a back seat nowadays as Parker finishes with a straight reading of Sam Cooke’s gentle “Cupid.”
With The Mona Lisa’s Sister, Graham Parker demonstrated his versatility as a songwriter and further solidified his reputation as a skilled and engaging performer. The album received positive reviews from critics and remains a fan favorite, showcasing Parker’s ability to evolve his sound while maintaining his artistic integrity.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic seal
Demon Records
Song List
1. Don’t Let It Break You Down
2. Under The Mask Of Happiness
3. Back In Time
4. I’m Just Your Man
5. OK Hieronymus
6. Get Started, Start A Fire
7. Girl Isn’t Ready, The
8. Blue Highways
9. Success
10. I Don’t Know
11. Cupid
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