The 1995 hit single '(What if God were) One of Us' was, I suspect, something of a doubled edge sword for Joan Osborne. While it propelled her to a level of recognition it has also meant that she is forever identified by the Godly sentiments of that song.
Doubtless the one silver lining is that it has given her a solid basis to build upon and certainly she shows no great desire with this album to depart much from the formula that spawned her breakthrough success.
For ‘Little Wild One’ ,she uses the same team of producer/writers Rick Chertoff, Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian as she did for the commericially succesful 'Relish'.
Released on her own label, this is therefore a predictably mainstream pop record misleadingly billed as a soul album.
It is more glossy than gutsy and makes for a pleasant if unambitious MOR listening experience.
At its best it hints at the smooth twang sound of Emmylou Harris or Lone Justice and is infused with an optimism that the power of love can conquer all.
Her faith in goodness is reflected in an interpolation of the words of Rev. Gary Davis for 'Light of this world' and in the self explanatory opening track 'Halelujah in the City'.
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The city in question is the "sonic landscape" of Osborne's adopted hometown of New York, her love for which is evident in the closing song 'Bury Me On The Battery'.
The songs on the album glide by buoyed by devotional serenity and cliché. While she delivers platitudes with sincerity it is hard to inject much sense of passion in lines like"I need you like the air that I breathe / I need you like the sky and the trees" on the title track or in the "Can you love me now like you loved me then" plea of 'Daddy O'
The Shakira-esque dance groove of 'Can't Say No' suggests another direction she might have taken and more in this spirit would have helped to stir the pulse a little more.
Joan Osborne's womanly hips don't lie but they don't inspire much either.
[11 tracks Playing time 43.26 mins]
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