How can you have one of the most publicized break-ups, go record an album documenting and reliving it, and not come out scathed? Well, Melissa is about to find out. She returns after winning her second Grammy for her last effort, "Breakdown", with a brand new look, a brand new sound, and a brand new attitude. Skin became a musical odyssey – ‘It’s the closest I’ve ever come to a concept album’. Melissa’s work is often described as deeply personal, but Skin is one layer deeper and two layers more personal. It has a Beginning, Middle, and End – a musical journey where you can feel Melissa vent, heal, and grow as the album progresses.

Skin is a brilliant album, her best work to date. Except for a few drum loops and samples, Melissa plays many roles on Skin; self-described as ‘all me’, she says of her contribution on the CD. She wrote, produced, and played most of the instruments. This extraordinary talent is not to be cast off as just another Lilith Fair chick. She is in a class all by herself. Her powerful voice, her rock-out music, and her sense of Self is the reason she has graced us with her seventh studio album. A career spanning over a decade. Selling over 25 million albums worldwide. Headlining the 200 Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Rocks, an event she helped organize. Also performing at the 2000 Democratic Party Convention. Inducting Janis Joplin into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and performing with Bruce Springsteen during her own MTV Unplugged television special.

Skin transcends her message and will be loved by everyone who has experienced a broken heart. The title was chosen because of her many references to the word in several songs. ‘This album is about shedding old skin. It’s about new skin. It’s about living’, she tells interviewers.

I like every song on the disc. From the heavy rock "Lover Please" to the bluesy, "The Prisioner". My favorite is "The Different". This beat-throbbing acoustic rock groove is pure fire. It’s Melissa’s first use of electronic sounds and new technology and it has Etheridge’s spirit and emotion all over it. Don’t miss the song "Heal Me" – it has feature background vocals by Meg Ryan and Laura Dern. And check out the steamy video of the first single, "I Want to be In Love" featuring Jennifer Aniston.

Melissa believes that Skin has absolutely accomplished what she set out to do. ‘This album has served its purpose for me. I’m very free about this album because it came about unexpectedly, due to events in my life – and I just did what I do and it came from a place of music. It came from inside of me to heal me.’

I take my hat off to Ms. Melissa Etheridge and pray that she has another major break-up when she does her next album.