Maria McKee - Maria McKee (1989)

Maria McKee is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Maria McKee, released in 1989. The Washington Post's Joe Brown called the album "stunning", writing that "aside from her luminous singing, the real success story of McKee's solo album is her songwriting, highly developed and ambitious, full of melodic and rhythmic variety." Chris Willman writing for the Los Angeles Times stated the album "presents Maria McKee the person as something of an introspective, even introverted loner reeling from a romantic split." Ira Robbins considered McKee's "lyrics don't reveal any clear artistic mission and Mitchell Froom's overstylized production ... drowns and/or drains her personality out of the album, leaving characterless elegance instead of a strong statement." Oscar Wednesday of Cashbox was disappointed by this record. He wrote: "I really wanted to love this album. As far as I'm concerned Maria McKee is one of the most talented and exciting singers around today. No, honest. But after listening to the album repeatedly, I found myself anything but captivated. Lone Justice's second and final album, 1986's Shelter, was unfocused and awkward, and although this solo outing stands head-and-shoulders above that effort, it too feels a little unnatural."

Terry Staunton, writing for New Musical Express, felt that McKee's decision to work with "the elite of American sessions musicians" produced "astonishing results" and suggested the album "has to be one of the best records of the year". He praised McKee's "honey roast vocals" for "matching the frail passion of Patsy Cline, the fiery soul of Aretha Franklin and the forceful blues of Janis Joplin". Staunton added, "Maria's always been able to pen a good tune and here you'll hear nine of her best." NME placed the album at No. 9 on its 1989 albums of the year list. Ian Gittins of Melody Maker summarised, "Maria McKee is country, is blues, is soul, is rock 'n' roll, but is always one delicious demon possessed by the spirit of her songs. I defy you to hear this and not fall in love.