Freak of Nature [CD, Import, from UK]

   2000年のデビューアルバム『ナット・ザット・カインド』から、ダイナミックなヴォーカルの「アイム・アウタ・ラヴ」が大ヒット（2000年2月全米ダンスチャート2位、2000年10月U.K.チャート6位）をマークした、シカゴ生まれニューヨーク育ちの女性シンガー、アナスタシアの2ndアルバム。
   ソウルフルなミッドナンバー<2>（2001年11月U.K.チャート14位）、壮大なバラード<4>、力強いダンスビートが広がる<5>（2002年3月U.K.チャート11位）、軽快なコーラスのアップビートチューン<10>など、モデル並みのルックスからは想像もつかない迫力の歌声を繰り広げる。（速藤年正）

Freak of Nature, the second album from former wedding singer Anastacia Newkirk, continues the late-1980s funk pop revival that her debut Not That Kind started. And in true 1980s style, everything's big. From the striding groove of the title track to the flag-waving chorus on "Paid My Dues" and the aerobic workouts of "One Day in Your Life" and "Don't Stop (Doin' It)", her larger-than-life vocals are matched at every turn by feisty attitudes and pounding tunes. As before, sincerity-challenged power ballads are the only sticking point; although this time they're kept to a minimum, and while it may be hard to tell her apart from Mariah and company on "I Dreamed of You", it provides ample opportunity to secure fragile crockery before her ferocious wail revs up again. Sticking to the anthemic Chaka Khan formula makes Freak of Nature a dependable follow-up album, but when it charts the middle ground between ballad and bombast--as with "Overdue Goodbye" and "Secrets"--it betters its predecessor. With lingering melodies and tender funk struts, Anastacia prooves she doesn't have to positively belt out a tune in order to soar. --Mark Daniels

The Blonde Girl with the Big Voice! the Second Worldwide Blockbuster CD Has Sold in Excess of
2. 5 Million Copies Worldwide and Climbed to #1 Across Europe. Includes the Hit Singles 'paid My Dues' and 'one Day in Your Life'.