This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
“It’s time for sex with strangers,” announces 55-year-old Marianne Faithfull on her latest album Kissin Time. In a nutshell, that’s what she’s up to here — musically speaking.
On these 11 tracks, the ’60s icon with the carton-a-day voice plays around with a slate of ’90s alt-rock and pop stars half her age. Beck collaborates on three tunes (including that robo-funky opening track), Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan offers another trio (including a lazy cover of Herman’s Hermits’ Something Good), and Britrockers Blur, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart each contribute a track. Mostly, they rein in their styles and play to Faithfull’s strengths with squishy midtempo electro-grooves, low-key pop and languid ballads of sex and despair (though Cocker cranks things up a notch on the feisty Sliding Through Life On Charm). Whatever their approach, they manage to provide Faithfull with her most contemporary, commercial and vital release in ages. Pretty cool for a gal who qualifies for a senior’s discount.
