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galore4

hope this wasn't already mentioned... July 27, 2002 Duncan Sheik's 1996 breakthrough, "Barely Breathing," was a blessing and a curse for a man whose artistic breadth far exceeded top 40 boundaries. With one long-lived hit, the singer/songwriter found himself typecast as a pretty boy brooder-and he never had another hit. Since, Sheik has gone to battle, first by making music as noncommercial as he could muster-that didn't work-and more recently, in a better mindset, with his acclaimed ethereal Phantom Moon in 2001, and this summer, as composer for the New York Shakespeare Festival's Twelfth Night. In hand, Sheik returns with the best music for the masses he's produced in six years. "On a High," produced by the prolific Patrick Leonard, is easy, breezy pop, balanced with an intellectual lyrical sense seldom found this side of pop music: "I'm on a high beyond the sea and the sky/It's a lie, don't you believe it/I'm trapped inside a conspiracy of happiness." Sheik's vocals are propped by generous layers of harmonies as a lightly chugging beat keeps tempo and both acoustic and electric guitars plug away nicely. Atlantic has been a steadfast champion of Sheik and should have no problem delivering this deserving release to adult top 40. Welcome back to the game, Duncan. From the forthcoming Daylight, due Aug. 27.-CT DUNCAN SHEIK POP Patrick Leonard On a High 3:39 D. Sheik Duncan Sheik Songs/BMG Careers, BMI Atlantic 300890 (CD promo) Maria