Never Enough (Melissa Etheridge album)

Billboard called the album her "most mature effort yet, venturing into new stylistic and lyrical territories. The first single, "Ain't It Heavy," is already strong at album rock radio, while dance gem "2001 " Etheridge's most adventurous composition to date - promises to cross over from rock to pop to dance audiences. All-out commitment from label bodes well for the singer's third and strongest album." ^[7]

Cashbox awarded the album their 'Pick of the Week', stating that "a more mature Melissa has returned with her third album...the 10-cut LP kicks off with the current single, "Ain't It Heavy," and is full of good rock 'n' roll as well as the funky, danceable "2001," and the very poignant "The Letting Go" which features Melissa alone, accompanying herself on piano. ^[8]

In their review, Allmusic stated that "lyrically, it seemed to be the singer's most personal album yet...It was a risk to issue a record like Never Enough after a three-year hiatus and into a market that might have expected "Bring Me Some More Water." Etheridge's choice of a single was even more gutsy. "2001" sounded nothing like anything she had done before. Guided by stuttering, synthetic percussion and a guitar line reminiscent of the Edge's postmodern squawk on U2's "The Fly," "2001" was simultaneously one of the album's coolest and craziest songs. It further indicated Etheridge's maturation as a songwriter and helped make Never Enough her strongest statement to that point. ^[9]

All tracks written by Melissa Etheridge, except where noted

1. "Ain't It Heavy" – 4:20
2. "2001" – 4:36
3. "Dance Without Sleeping" (Etheridge, Mauricio-Fritz Lewak, Kevin McCormick) – 5:40
4. "Place Your Hand" – 3:24
5. "Must Be Crazy for Me" – 3:43
6. "Meet Me in the Back" – 4:02
7. "The Boy Feels Strange" – 4:31
8. "Keep It Precious" – 6:13
9. "The Letting Go" – 3:05
10. "It's for You" (Etheridge, Kevin McCormick) – 5:41

• Melissa Etheridge – vocals, acoustic, electric guitar and 12-string guitars, piano
• Mark Goldenberg – electric guitars
• Steuart Smith – guitars
• Kevin McCormick – bass, high-strung guitar, backing vocals
• Scott Thurston – piano, keyboards
• Mauricio-Fritz Lewak – drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Richard Gibbs – keyboards on "It's For You"
• Ian McLagan – Hammond organ and piano on "Ain't It Heavy"
• Dermot Mulroney – cello on "Place Your Hand"
• Debra Dobkin – percussion on "Keep It Precious"

• Arranged and produced by Melissa Etheridge and Kevin McCormick
• Recorded by Gabe Veltri
• Mixed by Kevin McCormick and Gabe Veltri; assisted by John Aguto, Greg Goldman and Randy Wine
• Mastered by Stephen Marcussen
• Art Direction by Norm Ung
• Photography by Dennis Keeley

Singles – Billboard (North America)