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This album marked a turning point for Vega’s music - coming after the unexpected remix success of Tom’s Diner. This disc features a groove-oriented, electronic feel, and a definite push beyond folk roots to an artist that could take sonic chances. Up to the task was eclectic producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom who brought in guitarist David Hildago (Los Lobos) and bassist Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Attractions) to create Vega’s new sound. Froom had worked on Los Lobos’ album Kiko and many of those experiments take further root on 99.9F°, to varying success.

The other item of note is that after recording this disc, Froom separated from his wife and married Vega. Their marriage, daughter Ruby, and eventual divorce would fuel much material on Vega’s subsequent two albums.

While I have fond memories of 99.9F° and the initial shock of the novel sonic direction, it doesn’t fare as well in my Intra-Album Rank-O-Rama method. I think two less songs would helped things out, and at times the production sort of smothers the ideas and Vega’s delicate voice.

Rock In This Pocket (Song Of David)

= 3 stars

From the opening chords, it’s clear this is a different sound for Vega - a pulsing, clattering noise with some whirling keyboards and an almost tribal percussion. The song is about how the small can take the large down.

Blood Makes Noise

= 5 stars

This is almost literally a mechanical production inspired by the Tom’s Diner remixes, but what makes more sense is the pumping, pulsing bringing the lyrics of adrenalie to life.

In Liverpool

= 4 stars

A bit Beatley with some nice, swaying conclusions to the chords and nice guitar. The chorus contrasts with the verse enough to think a new level of songwriting had been reached.

Here’s the video.

99.9F°

= 5 stars

“You seem to me…” is this mellower version of Blood Makes Noise - but the bridge with the spacey Vega vocals (1:05) is a place she’ll return to on pretty much every album after this one.

Blood Sings

= 3 stars

Do we really have a connection to long forgotten relatives?

Fat Man And Dancing Girl

= 2 stars

Something doesn’t work for me, either the direct pulse, the “monkey in the middle” reminding me of one of those scary monkeys with the cymbals, and the crashing, marching circus recreation.

(If You Were) In My Movie

= 3 stars

The spoken words and the subject are a great idea. I just wish the song’s chorus did more than merely repeat the title.

As A Child

= 2 stars

This whirly tweeting is neat, but the song itself is a bit odd country with a rather odd organ.

Bad Wisdom

= 3 stars

A daughter has learned too many life lessons, that mother doesn’t know about. The song sympathizes with the daughter’s point of view. It’s a thought of the innocence is bliss.

When Heroes Go Down

= 5 stars

If Vega fronted a rock band I guess it would sound like this. I think it’s pretty cool. The bridge recreates the dippy percussion groove explored on every other track for this album, but her vocal delivery is basically a chanty rant that collapses rather Lennon-like to me.

Here’s the video.

As Girls Go

= 3 stars

We’re stumbling about in the jungle, and the Bruce Thomas bass line has a charm to it, but I don’t know about the song itself.

Song Of Sand

= 4 stars

This is basically a full system removal of all the decorations added on by this album’s ornate percussion. All that’s left is vocals and acoustic guitar. Now that I think of it, this seems to be one of the only songs where Vega is presented in such a pristine state.

Intra-Album Rank-O-Rama: 3.5

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