Short Cuts

The flaws of the EP can be summed up by Hatfield's own description on "Give Me Some of That": "Not attractive, but real." The cutting remarks of the past give way to depressing scenarios and malaise, and her phrasing is frequently stilted as she stretches to make the lyrics fit her new musical ambitions. And though she's using a fuller range of her voice than before, meeting the demands of the arrangements leaves her sounding a bit lethargic and whiny on cuts such as "As if Your Life Depended on It." Please Do Not Disturb may be a step back from the sharp songwriting and aggressive guitar work that fueled Hatfield's pop stardom, but her progression as a player and producer is confident and worth watching as her evolution continues.

-- Robin Myrick