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Post by raliverpool on May 11, 2021 20:24:14 GMT 1
Alanis Morissette - Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998)
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is the fourth studio album and second internationally released album by singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick Records in the United States on November 3, 1998. The album was positively received by critics and performed well commercially, breaking the record for album sales in its first week by a female artist. The first single from the album, "Thank U", reached the top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100. Morissette promoted the album with worldwide touring.
Morissette wrote "Thank U" and "Baba" after her trip to India in 1997. The protagonist of "Baba" goes on a spiritual pilgrimage to India where she encounters a guru who, like many spiritual teachers in India, is referred to as "Baba". The word "Baba" means "father" in the Hindi language. Morissette opened most of shows during the Junkie era with the song, and it was featured as an opener during her 2002 tours. It has been seldom played since then.
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie received generally positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called it a "clear step forward" and concluded that "Morissette is a weird acquired taste, due to her idiosyncratic vocals and doggedly convoluted confessionals – but [the album] certainly confirms that she doesn't quite sound like anyone else, either." The Village Voice's Robert Christgau commented that he felt "privileged to listen along with all the young women whose struggles Morissette blows up to such a scale." Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly complimented Morissette's new style and wrote that "Morissette has used her year-plus recording hiatus and newfound star status wisely, in pursuit of a way to make a vulnerable, openhearted album in the face of intense commercial expectations." Slant Magazine critic Sal Cinquemani complimented Morissette's songwriting and concluded that while the album "is nearly 15 minutes too long (did an ode to her mother, the sweet 'Heart of the House,' really need to be made public?)... not one moment of Junkie's 70-plus minutes is less than captivating."
Front Row 7.0 Baba 5.0 Thank U 10.0 Are You Still Mad 8.0 Sympathetic Character 5.5 That I Would Be Good 9.5 The Couch 9.0 Can't Not 7.5 UR 9.0 I Was Hoping 7.5 One 8.0 Would Not Come 6.5 Unsent 9.0 So Pure 9.0 Joining You 8.0 Heart Of The House 8.0 Your Congratulations 7.0
Score: 133.5/17 = 7.85
A classic example of filling up a CD sacrificed creating a very good album. But after a very sticky start, the album hits it stride even if it is no Jagged Little Pill despite having the same personnel as the previous album.
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Post by Smurfie on May 11, 2021 20:25:49 GMT 1
Jagged Little Pill is a fantastic album as it stood out a mile at the time - this came out when I was at Uni and was a staple CD to put on when you went around friends houses. I can’t say I have listened to it since, well, a long time - but it did feel like a big deal at the time.
Not The Doctor was my personal favourite.
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Post by raliverpool on May 11, 2021 20:42:32 GMT 1
Alanis Morissette - Under Rug Swept (2002)
Under Rug Swept is the fifth studio album and third internationally released album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. Released by Maverick Records in the United States on February 26, 2002, and in the United Kingdom a day earlier, it was the first album Morissette had written and produced all on her own. It debuted at number one on charts in 12 countries, including the United States and Canada, and produced the singles "Hands Clean" and "Precious Illusions". Sales, however, did not match those of Morissette's previous two studio albums.
Before recording of the album began, when she had not written songs or journal entries for nine months, Morissette went to Toronto not knowing whether she was going to write songs herself or with someone else. In the first week of her stay she had written seven songs alone, and she described the writing process as "really fast and accelerated". As on her previous albums, Morissette took a stream-of-consciousness approach to the songwriting. She wrote the music and lyrics at the same time, spending around twenty minutes or less on each song, and recorded the vocals during the writing process, in one or two takes. "I really wanted to make sure that I wrote in the studio so that, while I was writing, I could be singing it at the same time", she said. According to Morissette, she had a "little space station" with a keyboard, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, her journal and a microphone set up, and everything was recorded onto DAT. Morissette had not planned to produce an album on her own, saying "It was just a matter of when it would happen organically". She "kept things from becoming overwhelming" by refraining from cross-connecting her producing, songwriting and performing duties.
Morissette brought in musicians such as bassists Eric Avery (formerly of Jane's Addiction) and Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Dean DeLeo (guitarist for Stone Temple Pilots) and Me'shell Ndegeocello to play on the album.
Reviews of Under Rug Swept on its release were generally positive. Billboard described the album as "supreme" and "very human ... [it] satisfies with moments of darkness, enlightenment, anger, bittersweet tension, and happiness ... Although 2002 is still young, consider Under Rug Swept one of the year's best." Q magazine said the album was "a smart shot across the bows ... some of the most inviting music of her career ... Morissette has fashioned a lyrical Trojan Horse to be wheeled into unsuspecting homes for months to come." Robert Christgau wrote, "The pop-rock here lacks the faux-punk edge [on Jagged Little Pill] ... But Morissette instantly demonstrates her gift for the catchy ... topping memorable verse with indelible chorus, she's a self-actualized nut who goes for what she wants, exactly as pretentious as the college girls she represents for.
As of March 2012, Under Rug Swept has sold 1,020,000 copies in the US, less than half the amount sold by Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie by the same date. According to a Maverick Records press release, Under Rug Swept had sold 3.8 million copies worldwide by February 2004.
21 Things I Want In A Lover 7.5 Narcissus 6.5 Hands Clean 10.0 Flinch 9.5 So Unsexy 8.0 Precious Illusions 8.5 That Particular Time 10.0 A Man 6.0 You Owe Me Nothing In Return 7.5 Surrendering 6.5 Utopia 8.5
Score: 88.5/11 = 8.05
Sure it continues her trend of using 23 words when two will suffice far too often, but it benefits musically by being less cluttered & dense. With my personal highlight being the New Age atmospheric piano ballad track "That Particular Time".
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Post by raliverpool on May 11, 2021 20:59:49 GMT 1
Alanis Morissette - So Called Chaos (2004)
So-Called Chaos is the sixth studio album (fourth released internationally) by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released in May 2004.
It had been two years since Morissette released her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept. In that time she had met her then fiancé Ryan Reynolds, inspiring many of the songs she wrote for So-Called Chaos. The album found her in a more contented and relaxed state than her previous output, and her songs were brighter and happier than her more volatile works like "You Oughta Know" and "Uninvited".
Some reviews of So-Called Chaos were positive, with many critics calling it her most accessible and mainstream record since her debut Jagged Little Pill (1995). Still, others thought she had "sold out" for the sake of sales and radio play; Rolling Stone magazine, for example, said the album "attempts to reverse the sliding record sales following [Jagged Little Pill]. This was reflected by its Metacritic score of 56.
The album debuted at number two on the Canadian albums chart with first week sales of 11,200, and at number five on the US Billboard 200, selling 115,000 copies in its first week in the US and 287,000 that same week worldwide. In the United States, So-Called Chaos became Morissette's first album to miss the number-one spot. In the UK it debuted at its nuber eight peak. It spent a week in the US top ten before falling down the chart. As of March 2012, the album has sold 474,000 copies in the US.
Eight Easy Steps 9.0 Out Is Through 8.0 Excuses 7.5 Doth I Protest Too Much 9.0 Knees Of My Bees 6.5 So-Called Chaos 5.0 Not All Me 6.0 This Grudge 7.5 Spineless 7.0 Everything 8.5
Score: 74.0/10 = 7.40
I suppose it had to happen at some point but she finally made a relatively conventional sounding album, the problem with that is at times it falls into dull territory. But in truth newer acts whom her attitude & lyrical honesty had been a major influence on were now leaving her behind.
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Post by raliverpool on May 11, 2021 21:28:05 GMT 1
Alanis Morissette - Flavors Of Entanglement (2008)
Flavors of Entanglement is the seventh studio album, fifth international release and last Maverick Records release by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. The album, which was originally set for an April release, came out internationally on June 2, and in the United States on June 10. It was produced by Guy Sigsworth. Flavors won a Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards. The album gets its name from a lyric in the track "Moratorium".
Flavors of Entanglement received generally positive reviews from music critics, praising the new electronic rock style of Morissette's album (Metacritic rating of 63); however, critics felt the album was not as original as Morissette's former albums Jagged Little Pill and Under Rug Swept. Charting success of the album was also moderate worldwide. The album peaked at number eight on the US Billboard 200. In the UK it charted at number 15. The album also spawned an American tour called Flavors of Entanglement Tour, which spanned September to November 2008. As of August 2012, the album has sold over 600,000 worldwide.
Morissette left Maverick Records following completion of all promotional activities in support of the album.
Citizen Of The Planet 6.0 Underneath 8.0 Straitjacket 7.5 Versions Of Violence 8.5 Not As We 9.5 In Praise Of The Vulnerable Man 8.0 Moratorium 7.0 Torch 7.5 Giggling Again For No Reason 7.0 Tapes 6.5 Incomplete 7.5
It's A Bitch To Grow Up 7.5
Score: 90.5/12 = 7.54
It was great to hear her try something different musically, and producer Guy Sigworth's work with Goldie; Bjork; Seal; & Madonna came in very handy here. But again the problem was this album was not bad, but not great either. She has released just two studio albums since then, and I've not bothered getting either.
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Post by onehitwonder on May 11, 2021 22:26:19 GMT 1
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is a great album, personally, I enjoy it more than her debut. Best tracks: Are You Still Mad, That I Would Be Good, The Couch, One and Joining you (Melancholy Mix) and of course Thank U. After that I felt like she has lost her sparkle and only had a good song there and there until her last album, which was very good.
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Post by Smurfie on May 11, 2021 22:35:03 GMT 1
The last album was brilliant - definitely in my Alanis top three.
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Post by raliverpool on May 12, 2021 21:10:19 GMT 1
Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor (2001)
Songs in A Minor is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released on June 5, 2001, by J Records.
Keys began writing songs for the album in 1995 at age 14 and recording the album in 1998 for Columbia Records, but after they rejected it, she signed a recording contract with Clive Davis's Arista Records and eventually J Records. An accomplished, classically trained pianist, Keys wrote, arranged and produced the majority of the album herself. It is a neo soul album with elements of R&B, soul, jazz, hip hop, blues, classical, and gospel music. Lyrically, the songs explore the complexities and various stages of personal relationships. Despite its title, "Jane Doe" is the only song on the album actually in the key of A minor.
Songs in A Minor debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 236,000 copies in its first week. To promote the album, Keys embarked on her first headlining concert tour, entitled the Songs in A Minor Tour. The album had sold over 6.2 million copies in the United States and 12 million copies worldwide. It was also an immediate critical success and has since been regarded as a classic. The album earned Keys several accolades, including five Grammy Awards at the 44th Grammy Awards.
Songs in A Minor received positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it received an average score of 78. Robert Christgau, writing in The Village Voice, said that the "grace and grit" of the first half warrant the "auspicious debut" label and that, after some "bores that threaten to sink the project midway through," "Keys sustains the album with the songs at the end". In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine perceived the album's music as "rich enough to compensate for some thinness in the writing" and called it "a startling assured, successful debut that deserved its immediate acclaim and is already aging nicely".
Piano & I 7.5 Girlfriend 9.5 How Come You Don't Call Me 9.0 Fallin' 10.0 Troubles 7.5 Rock Wit U 8.0 A Woman's Worth 9.5 Jane Doe 9.0 Goodbye 7.5 The Life 6.5 Mr. Man 8.0 Never Felt This Way (Interlude) 8.5 Butterflyz 8.0 Why Do I Feel So Sad 6.5 Caged Bird 9.0 Lovin U 8.0
Score: 132.0/16 = 8.25
Alicia wrote or co-wrote every track on this album bar her cover of a Prince B-side. It showcased her Roberta Flack meets Syreeta meets Mary J Blige talents very, very well.
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Post by raliverpool on May 12, 2021 21:28:00 GMT 1
Alicia Keys - The Diary Of (2003)
The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released in the United States on December 2, 2003, by J Records. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with contributions from Kanye West and Kerry Brothers Jr., who described it as "an R&B album".
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 618,000 copies in its first week. It became Keys' second consecutive number-one debut in the United States and spawned three top-ten singles. Upon its release, The Diary of Alicia Keys received generally positive reviews from music critics and earned Keys three Grammy Awards at the 47th Grammy Awards. The album has sold over eight million copies worldwide. The Diary of Alicia Keys is the thirty-first best-selling album of the 2000s decade. The album's four singles, "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You", "Diary" and "Karma", all reached the top twenty of the US Billboard Hot 100, with three of them becoming top ten hits.
The Diary of Alicia Keys received generally positive reviews from critics; it holds an average score of 71. Rob Sheffield, writing in Rolling Stone, called the album "an assured, adult statement, steeped in the complicated love life and musical dreams of an ambitious young woman who has absorbed enough Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin records to live up to the soul promise of 'Harlem's Nocturne'. But some reviews were more critical saying it was too similar to the formula used on her debut album, but not as strong in the songwriting department.
Harlem's Nocturne 7.0 Karma 8.0 Heartburn 7.5 If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By 8.5 You Don't Know My Name 10.0 If I Ain't Got You 10.0 Diary 9.5 Dragon Days 7.0 Wake Up 6.5 So Simple 6.0 When You Really Love Someone 7.5 Feeling U, Feeling Me (Interlude) 7.5 Slow Down 6.5 Samsonite Man 6.0 Nobody Not Really (Interlude) 7.0
Score: 114.5/15 = 7.63
A case of more of the same, only not quite as good. After its purple patch after the end of the first half, the album is a disappointment in the second half. Not a disaster by any means. It is all very classy, and nice R&B hip hop smooth soul grove, but it is still a bit too much background music for my liking, as the hooks are not strong enough. Little wonder she took the best part of 4 years to follow it up.
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Post by raliverpool on May 12, 2021 21:42:51 GMT 1
Alicia Keys - As I Am (2007)
As I Am is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on November 9, 2007, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording studios during 2005 to 2007. Production was handled primarily by Keys, Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Jack Splash, and Linda Perry, with a guest contribution from musician John Mayer.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in its first week, and was eventually certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It became an international commercial success and spawned four singles that achieved chart success, including "No One", which became the song most listened to of 2007 in the United States. Despite some criticism towards Keys' songwriting, As I Am received positive reviews from most music critics and earned Keys several accolades, including three Grammy Awards. It has sold over five million copies worldwide.
It received a Metacritic rating of 66, to reflect the mixed, but mainly middling reviews it received.
As I Am (Intro) 7.0 Go Ahead 8.5 Superwoman 9.5
No One 10.0 Like You'll Never See Me Again 8.0 Lesson Learned 6.5 Wreckless Love 7.0 The Thing About Love 7.5 Teenage Love Affair 8.0 I Need You 7.0 Where Do We Go From Here 7.0 Prelude To A Kiss 7.0 Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise) 7.5 Sure Looks Good To Me 7.0
Score: 107.5/14 = 7.68
Personally, I think the critics were a little unkind to this album. I certainly think it is an improvement to the previous album in terms of overall consistency, even if its peaks are not as high.
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Post by raliverpool on May 12, 2021 22:01:15 GMT 1
Alicia Keys - The Element Of Freedom (2009)
The Element of Freedom is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on December 11, 2009, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during May to September 2009 at The Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Production was primarily handled by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and Jeff Bhasker. Departing from the classicist soul music of Keys' previous albums, The Element of Freedom has a mid-tempo, low-key sound and features mostly ballads.
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 417,000 copies in its first week. It became Keys' first number-one album in the United Kingdom. The Element of Freedom was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) within its first month of release and produced five singles that attained chart success. Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its low-key style, cohesiveness, and Keys' singing, while some were ambivalent towards the lyrics. By August 2012, The Element of Freedom had sold over four million copies worldwide.
Music writers have noted Keys' transition from 1960s and 1970s R&B and soul to 1980s and 1990s pop-oriented sound with the album. Ben Ratliff of The New York Times described most of the album's songs as "professionals ... slow, clean songs with semi-classical acoustic piano, soft-pop chord changes and simple, prominent hip-hop beats". The Washington Post's Allison Stewart wrote that the album "relies unusually heavily upon mid-tempo, carefully layered lovesick ballads". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic pointed out the "always apparent" influence of Prince, as Keys "swapped the retro-soul instrumentation of her earliest music for electronics". He identified the album as "clean, small-scale collection of ballads and Prince-inspired pop". It gained a Metacritic rating of 67, but the reviews were more erratic than her previous album with it either being praised or panned.
Element Of Freedom (Intro) Love Is Blind 8.0 Doesn't Mean Anything 8.5 Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart 10.0 Wait Til You See My Smile 7.5 That's How Strong My Love Is 8.0 Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) 8.0 Love Is My Disease 7.0 Like The Sea 6.5 Put It In A Love Song (Featuring Beyoncé) 8.5 This Bed 7.0 Distance And Time 8.5 How It Feels To Fly 7.5 Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down 9.5
Score: 104.5/13 = 8.04
Personally, I thought this was a very good album, as she had overhauled her sound, and for this album more than any before she sounded like Alicia Keys rather than too often sounding like someone else.
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Post by onehitwonder on May 12, 2021 22:16:57 GMT 1
I only got into Alicia after her fourth album was released. I liked her previous singles, but have never listened to an entire album until this one! One of our chefs would play it just non stop for hours and then days, weeks lol Finally, I gave in and fell in love with it! The singles were really good, plus, Like the sea and Love is blind! Brilliant songs! But Distance and time is just flawless!
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Post by raliverpool on May 13, 2021 19:46:15 GMT 1
Alicia Keys - Girl On Fire (2012)
Girl on Fire is the fifth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. After 2009, Keys married record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, became a mother, began co-managing her own career, produced and directed both a Broadway play and short film, in addition to designing a line of trainers for Reebok. Keys had also either appeared on or produced material for several other artists including work on Kanye West, Emeli Sandé and Miguel's albums
Released on November 22, 2012, the album is Keys' first release with RCA Records following Sony Music Entertainment's decision to close J Records during a company reshuffle. It is an R&B album with elements of different musical styles, including rock, electro, reggae and hip hop. It features a largely minimalist production, includes piano-driven songs and balances traditional R&B with atypical chords and melodic changes.
Upon its release, Girl on Fire received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 159,000 copies sold in its first week. The lead single "Girl on Fire" charted at number two on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached the Top 10 in several countries worldwide. The second single, "Brand New Me", co-written with Emeli Sandé and produced by Keys, was released to US urban adult contemporary radio stations. The album spawned three further singles: The second international single "New Day" , the third US urban adult contemporary single "Fire We Make" (featuring Maxwell) as well as the album's final single, Tears Always Win.
At the 56th Grammy Awards, Girl on Fire won Best R&B Album, making Keys the most awarded artist in this category, with three wins.
It has a Metacritic rating of 69, with reviews concurring it was a very consistent album, with less heights but less filler than normal.
De Novo Adagio (Intro) 7.5 Brand New Me 8.5 When It's All Over 8.0 Listen To Your Heart 8.0 New Day 8.0 Girl On Fire (Inferno Version) 8.5 Fire We Make 7.0 Tears Always Win 7.0 Not Even The King 8.0 That's When I Knew 6.5 Limitedless 6.0 One Thing 8.5 101 6.5
Score: 98.0/13 = 7.54
This album did less well commercially as her star was beginning to fade commercially, but it still has a sense of adventure thanks to working with Emeli Sande; Jamie XX; Darkchild; Dr Dre; Salaam Remi; Bruno Mars; Babyface; & Frank Ocean. I do wonder whether having a child had an impact on her involvement, as a couple of the Emeli Sande tracks, and the Bbyface track sound more like the songwriter, than the singer which detracts from the album a little.
Just like with Alanis Morissette, I have not got her last two albums; so just like Alanis I appear to have missed her subsequent career nadir album, followed up by a more recent major return to form album in 2020.
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Post by raliverpool on May 13, 2021 20:17:51 GMT 1
Alison Moyet - Hoodoo (1991)
Hoodoo is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet. It was released in 1991, reached No. 11 in the UK and features the singles "It Won't Be Long", "Wishing You Were Here", "Hoodoo" and "This House".
Largely produced by Pete Glenister, the album includes contributions from Kirsty MacColl, Steve Lillywhite, Marius De Vries, Ocean Colour Scene, Londonbeat, and ex-Fine Young Cannibals Andy Cox and David Steele.
Having recording her second studio album Raindancing while living in Los Angeles, Moyet returned to live in England after completing a world tour. Moyet's record company, CBS, wanted her to continue producing pop hits but this left the singer feeling artistically compromised and under pressure to deliver. During the period after returning to England, Moyet began a songwriting partnership with Pete Glenister, who had been Moyet's guitarist for part of the Raindancing tour. Keen to have more artistic freedom, she suggested to CBS that Glenister should produce her. Muff Winwood of the label's A&R division granted Moyet permission to record the album she wanted to.
The album met with a classic case of critical approval, and public displeasure, with its sales very poor compared to her far more commercial glossy sounding first two albums.
Footsteps 8.0 It Won't Be Long 10.0 This House 9.5 Rise 6.0 Wishing You Were Here 10.0 Hoodoo 7.5 (Meeting With My) Main Man 6.5 Back Where I Belong 6.0 My Right A.R.M. 7.5 Never Too Late 6.5 Find Me 8.5
Score: 86.0/11 = 7.82
This mix of raw, power house blues rock; post Madchester Indie Pop; and melancholic folk ballads was a radical departure on her commercial success. It is perhaps no coincidence that the best tracks have harmonies which on the album were credited to vocal arranger Elysian Chorus (which we now know is Kirsty MacColl). Oh for Adele to have the nerve to make a similar radical change of direction on her next album (But we'll probably get a feature from Drake instead!).
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Post by Smurfie on May 13, 2021 20:29:55 GMT 1
I found Alicia Keys a bit patchy. When she was good she was brilliant - Falling, You Don’t Know My Name, Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart. But there was a lot of filler in there for me.
I’m glad Alison Moyet is next on your list, as I have loved all (well maybe not one) of her albums - and It Won’t Be Long, Wishing You Were Here, and This House are the stand outs from Hoodoo by a mile. 9/10 album for me.
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Post by raliverpool on May 13, 2021 20:50:42 GMT 1
Alison Moyet - Hometime (2002)
Hometime is the fifth studio album by English singer/songwriter Alison Moyet, released in 2002 by Sanctuary Records. Hometime was produced by The Insects (Tim Norfolk and Bob Locke) who had previously worked with Massive Attack and Madonna among others. Eight of the 11 tracks were co-written with songwriting partner Pete Glenister; and a number of tracks feature the non vocal members of Portishead & Goldfrapp.
There is a gap of almost eight years between the release of Moyet's fourth studio album, Essex, and Hometime; owing to a legal dispute between the singer and Sony Music Entertainment UK, her former record label, who wanted her to produce what they saw as more "commercial" music. Hometime was the first album by Moyet released by her new record label, Sanctuary Records.
Much to the chagrin of Sony – who had refused to release the album – Hometime enjoyed a great deal of critical and commercial success; the album sold in excess of a quarter of a million copies in the UK within the first months of its release, Moyet became one of the top five best-selling female artists of 2002, and was nominated for a BRIT Award and a Mercury Music Prize that year.
Hometime reached No. 18 in the UK. Three singles were released from the album; "Should I Feel That It's Over" (UK No. 144), "Do You Ever Wonder" (UK No. 113) and "More" (UK No. 127).
Upon its release, Andy Gill of The Independent commented: "It's undoubtedly her most compelling set of performances since her 1984 solo debut Alf, and may be her best album, period." David Peschek of The Guardian considered the album a "spectacular record of smouldering electronic torch songs, downbeat soul and wayward folk that is easily the best of her career." Q commented: "Eight years is a long time but this is worth the wait." Burhan Wazir of The Observer noted: "Hometime, surprisingly, is one of the most ambitious records of her career, and the strength of the songwriting rarely stumbles."
Yesterday's Flame 9.0 Should I Feel That It's Over 9.5 More 9.5 Hometime 8.0 Mary, Don't Come Back To Me 7.5 Say It 8.0 Ski 6.5 If You Don't Come Back To Me 9.0 Do You Ever Wonder 8.5 The Train I Ride 8.0 You Don't Have To Go 8.5
Score: 92.0/11 = 8.36
This is a great Trip hop, electronica album with some lovely use of strings & Bernard Butler-esque guitars & cinematic soundscapes. It is staggering that Sony Records did not think it was good enough to release.
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Post by raliverpool on May 15, 2021 14:39:46 GMT 1
Alison Moyet - Voice (2004)
Voice is the sixth studio album by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, released by Sanctuary in 2004. It is a covers album, featuring slow-tempo, classic songs from a number of different genres, designed to showcase the singer's voice, with orchestral backing.
After a performance with the BBC Concert Orchestra in 2003, Moyet approached conductor Anne Dudley with the idea of recording a "collection of classic song". In light of her appreciation of Moyet's distinctive vocal style, Dudley later described the offer of working with her as "irresistible". For her official website, she commented: "We spent many happy hours playing songs on the piano, minutely adjusting keys to suit her voice. We chose a wonderful selection and recorded them organically." The material was recorded at Angel Studios, London, with Dudley as producer and arranger.
Whilst promoting the album Moyet commented: "As a 43-year-old I'm finding that reflective, beautiful songs appeal to me. I am quite a prolific singer, in the sense that I have a versatility and I don't want to be limited purely to the songs that I can write."
Windmills Of Your Mind 8.0 The Man I Love 7.5 Almost Blue 7.5 Je Crois Entendre Encore 7.5 What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? 7.0 God Give Me Strength 6.5 The Wraggle Taggle Gypsies-o! 6.0 Dido's Lament: When I Am Laid In Earth 7.5 La Chanson Des Vieux Amants 7.0 Cry Me A River 8.0 Bye Bye Blackbird 6.5
Score: 79.0/11 = 7.18
I got this album cheap in (I think a Woolsworth) sale. The thing is Alf's vox sounds great bar when she pushes it on God Gave Me Strength; the strings & arrangements are excellent; whilst the production is tasteful. But the problem with this album (bar it being a bunch of covers) is it is one dimensional to listen to, so becomes a chore to listen to in one sitting.
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Post by raliverpool on May 15, 2021 15:07:04 GMT 1
Alison Moyet - The Turn (2007)
The Turn is the seventh studio album by the British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, released by W14 Music in 2007. The album includes the singles "One More Time" and "A Guy Like You", as well as three tracks first written and performed in 2006 for stage play Smaller, in which Moyet starred with comedian and long-time friend Dawn French. The Turn was the singer's first release on the W14 Music label and debuted at number 21 on the UK Albums Chart on 22 October 2007.
After the release and promotion of the 2004 covers album Voice, Moyet began rehearsals to play a leading role in the stage play Smaller, alongside Dawn French. The play, written by Carmel Morgan and directed by Kathy Burke, was toured across the UK for six weeks before opening at West End's Lyric Theatre in April 2006.
Following Smaller, Moyet began writing new material with her songwriting partner Pete Glenister before returning to the studio to record The Turn.
Upon release, Chris Long, writing for the BBC, commented: "The Turn is no blistering return to form to sit proudly alongside the real gems of her career, but it is satisfying nonetheless, and it's a welcome reminder that Moyet still has one of the most emotive and intoxicating British voices ever." Cheryl Arrighie of 33rpm.com described the album as a "strong collection of songs" and a "marked improvement" over Voice, but was critical of the inclusion of the three songs from Smaller. She added: "You can't help feeling that it's all been done and heard before." Indie London felt the album was an "acquired taste", with a diversity that "creates an uneven experience". They concluded: "The Turn's most obvious asset is its voice - but given that it's the first album of new material from Moyet in five years it fails to generate the levels of excitement we'd been anticipating."
One More Time 10.0 Anytime At All 8.0 The Man In The Wings 9.0 Can't Say It Like I Mean It 7.5 It's Not The Thing Henry 6.5 Fire 6.0 The Sharpest Corner (Hollow) 8.0 World Without End 7.0 Home 6.5 Smaller 7.5 A Guy Like You 8.5
Score: 84.5/11 = 7.68
In many ways this is the opposite of Voice. It is rather erratic musically and as an album comes across as a collection of tracks rather than an LP. It veers from acoustic folk; dark Jacquel Brel like numbers; blues rock; to Robbie Williams-like pop with varying success. Alf's vox is more mannered than normal (probably via her stints in Musical Theatre in Smaller; & Chicago) which makes a few of the tracks slightly jarring to their detriment.
This is the last album of Alf I've bought. I did not fancy her last two Guy Sigsworth produced efforts, plus having Spotify dampens the enthusiasm in purchasing new music.
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Post by raliverpool on May 15, 2021 16:40:35 GMT 1
All Saints - Studio 1 (2006)
Studio 1 is the third studio album by English-Canadian girl group All Saints, released on 10 November 2006, by Parlophone. It was released following a five-year hiatus during which the bandmembers had pursued solo careers.
The first single released from the album was "Rock Steady" which was released on 6 November 2006 and peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. A second single, "Chick Fit" was a download-only release. The album debuted at No. 40 on the UK Albums Chart.
The album was released to mixed to poor reviews. Matthew Chisling from AllMusic wrote that "Unfortunately, while all the music is appealing, it lacks personality and character. The tracks, all composed by Shaznay Lewis and Greg Kurstin, bear no emotional value, and the girls' voices are indistinguishable from one another and digitally enhanced to the point of obscurity." Kitty Empire from The Observer perceived that "despite some flickers of interest – on 'Chick Fit' and 'Hell No' in particular – too much of Studio 1 happens in a thin, tinny place."
Melanie Blatt discussed the reunion in an interview with i-D magazine in 2012: "I don't think it was done for the right reasons... I know that I did it for the money. We got signed before we had even made music again, it wasn't like we felt we had something to give back to the world... we were given an opportunity and took it, without really thinking about it too hard". She also said she never felt comfortable with the success the band had and that "it was not necessarily the plan at the beginning; there was a lot of compromise involved". She later stated in 2016 with the same publication: "Because you know what, we got signed [to Parlophone] having not made one piece of music. They signed the idea of us getting back together. I felt fraudulent from that moment on and it didn't feel like a real thing".
Rock Steady 9.5 Chick Fit 7.5 On And On 6.5 Scar 4.5 Not Eazy 5.5 Hell No 5.0 One Me And U 7.0 Headlock 6.0 Too Nasty 5.0 In It To Win It 7.0 Flashback 5.0 Fundamental 8.0
Score: 133.5/17 = 6.37
I had picked up All Saints - All Hits; and then the band came back with a great lead single, and an album that got lost in the busiest time of the year, plus with the nature of pop; they had been replaced by Girls Aloud & the Sugababes. But boy, this album is their Forever. It is not terrible, but it mostly sounds unfocused, and their attitude & personalities which made them a success in the first place are mostly absent without leave.
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Post by raliverpool on May 15, 2021 17:09:09 GMT 1
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave (2012)
An Awesome Wave is the debut album by English indie rock band alt-J, released on 25 May 2012 through Infectious. The album includes the singles "Matilda"/"Fitzpleasure", "Breezeblocks" and "Tessellate". It peaked at number thirteen on the UK Albums Chart. An Awesome Wave won the 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize, and in 2013 was named Album of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards.
It received a Metacritic rating of 71. It mostly received great reviews; but their were a number of critics who had problems with its strange eclectic sounds, and vocalizations.
Ruth Singleton of Drowned in Sound described An Awesome Wave as "a beautifully rounded, awesome debut album" and said that "whatever Alt-J were aiming for with their debut album, they have managed to prove their value as talented musicians, literary enthusiasts and imagery aficionados." Jon O'Brien of AllMusic felt that the album was "occasionally guilty of pretentiousness", but that its "eclectic arrays of sound are woven together in a manner so effortlessly that the results never feel forced or contrived." Whilst Laura Snapes of Pitchfork referred to the songs as "draining, elongated MOR tunes"
Intro / Interlude1 7.0 Tesselate 9.0 Breezeblocks / Interlude 2 8.0 Something Good 9.5 Dissolve Me 7.5 Matilda 6.5 Ms 7.5 Fitzpleasure 8.0 Interlude 3 / Bloodflood 7.0 Taro 9.0
Score: 79.0/10 = 7.90To me this album sounds like a cross between Fleet Foxes and post Kid A Radiohead. This is definitely an acquired taste. Certainly one of those albums which works better as a whole, rather than the sum of its parts.
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