Duncan Sheik - Humming (1998)

Review by Roxanne Blanford

This philosophical follow-up to Duncan Sheik's 1996 star-making debut sprawls across similarly introspective terrain, yet veers more toward the pragmatic than the romantic. Musically, Humming has a more profound and resonant base, complemented by accentuated drums and various string elements. Orchestral pianos and flutes sweep throughout, especially on the London Session Orchestra-backed "Varying Degrees of Con-Artistry," while Sheik admonishes himself for buying into his own fame on the self-deprecating "Bite Your Tongue" and on the self-immolating "Nothing Special." Ultimately, it's the symphonic strength of conductor Simon Hale's arrangements and Sheik's own hauntingly moody expressions that lift this fine record to its sonic realization.