Minnie DriverSeastories (Decca/ Trampoline)Rating: * *Verdict: A famously forgettable collection of songsSo here's the problem with this album: it's by Minnie Driver, an Oscar-nominated actress. On the one hand, it shouldn't matter. The album should be judged on its musical merits alone. But would you have listened to it were it by anyone else? Would she even have a recording contract if not for her acting credentials?Seastories is Driver's second outing as a solo artist. And although it's nothing exceptional, it's not a total embarrassment either. Rather, it's a pleasant collection of alternative country songs with touches of folk and soft rock. But it is entirely forgettable. After four turns on the stereo, not a single melody or lyric will remain in your consciousness.Indeed, the only lasting thought after listening to the record is how remarkably American the British actress sounds . With her deep, soothing drawl, Driver provides a warm and mellow listening experience that at times comes across as a collection of lullabies, particularly Stars & Satellites and Lakewater Hair. At other times, she enters hoe-down territory, as on King Without a Queen and Sorry Baby, complete with twanging slide guitar melodies.
Driver proves she can hold a decent tune, but so can a lot of people. And they don't have record contracts.
