Wikked Lil’ Grrrls

Let me sum up Esthero’s second album, Wikked Lil’ Grrls: One: Esthero (Jen-Bea Englishman) is a poor speller. Just look at the album title—not so much cool as it is annoying. Two: The CD covers suggest club dance pop with their pink dots and dragonflies and a sultry-looking Esthero, but it’s actually white girl R&B. Three: She is better than Pink. Four: Her voice sometimes sounds like Bjork’s in that push-all-the-air-out-of-your-lungs way. Five: The smooth jazz beats of “My Torture” and “Thank Heaven 4 You” give her a Sade sound. Six: The title track is undeniably catchy and probably one of the few times clarinet appears on a dance song. Seven: Overall, a pleasant album, though three tracks of answering machine talk are superfluous. Eight: If the mood calls for the musical styles of Bjork or Sade, one is better off putting on an album by Bjork or Sade. Nine: The first track is titled “We R In Need of A Musical Revolution,” and while Esthero’s music is eclectic, it’s (Ten:) doubtful she’ll be the one leading a musical revolution.