The full title of the fourth Sam Phillips album is Omnipop (It’s Only A Flesh Wound Lambchop) that evokes daffiness, absurdity, and obscure pop culture references. While that may sound like fun, Omnipop is all over the place. I consider it a serious misfire, especially coming off the relative success of Martinis And Bikinis. Returning to the Beatles analogy, Martinis = Revolver and Omnipop = Magical Mystery Tour.
The third Sam Phillips album is an amazing tour de force with one clear influence: The Beatles — although mostly John and George with Paul focusing on inventive bass lines. However, Sam’s lyrics are better than most Beatles’ songs, with a clearer world view advocating love and honesty with one’s self over the materialist, soul-corroding trappings of modern society.
Cruel Inventions finds Sam exploring an experimental, adventurous sound combined with focused, direct lyrics. Besides “love and loss” Sam delves into socially conscious subject matter with abstract, evocative imagery. It’s a progression from the previous Indescribable Wow.
Sam Phillips — or “the artist formerly known as Leslie Phillips” — recorded as a Christian music artist until recording The Turning with the producer T-Bone Burnett. In 1988 she left Christian music behind, signed with Virgin, and adopted the moniker “Sam Phillips.”