Dark Road - ANNIE LENNOX

The maiden voyage from Annie Lennox's "Songs of Mass Destruction" —only her fourth album in 15 years —is a melancholy ballad that sets up the set's overall vignette of a voyeur combating a turbulent and cold world. Depressives aside, face value of the song is utterly bewitching, opening elegantly low key before Lennox fires up a blow-torch chorus and exclaims, "It takes strength to live this way, the same old madness everyday/I wanna kick these blues away, learn to live again." One listen forces reflection, but again, on face value, the dusky, seductive voice of Lennox is such a joyful noise that it's tough to stay down but for so long. Compelling side note: The album's lyric liners reveal only the verses of "Dark Road," not the somber chorus above. Perhaps Lennox is offering a silver lining, after all.—Chuck Taylor