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Category Archives: Music reviews and opinions

Katie Melua – Album No.8

20 Tuesday Oct 2020

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Album No.8, Katie Melua, Music

I promised I’d do some music content on here and now it’s arrived. Below is my review of the new Katie Melua album.

With a voice that just envelopes you in it’s mellifluous delivery and unaffectedly strong nuance, Katie Melua is one of those artists who you feel puts her soul into her work. Her music has always had a different ambience to it, probably stemming from her mixture of pop, smidgeons of jazz and influences of her homeland Georgia. This is most definitely the case with her first album in four years Album No.8; an excellent compendium of songs charting rising and falling love, daydreams and heart on sleeve confessions. She’s recently separated from her husband of many years, but the wise Melua is not making a record that’s purely a pity party. Far from it in fact when one really listens to the lyrical content of Album No.8. Yes I’m sure some of her personal life covered recording of this record, but it is never bombastic or even in your face about it. Instead, her voice is so inviting and tells stories, which completely sells her music beautifully. It never bellows, belts or grows incredibly loud, instead delivering words in an evocative hush that’s bewitching to the ears. If you’ve been ambivalent on Katie’s music in the past, be prepared to reevaluate that assessment with this record.

We open with the string laden ‘A Love Like That’ that bristles with a 60’s ambience and something of a Bond movie sound to it. One can imagine the dark haired Miss Melua performing this in a swish casino or nightclub as intrigue unfolds around her. It’s a lush and cinematic opener that acts as the first indicator of the themes explored here; love, loss, memories and reflection. It’s one of many standout tracks on a record that brims with them. ‘English Manner’ presents a suitably intriguing narrative, pertaining to a love triangle in a refined space . Once more there is something cinematic and haunting about this track that sounds jaunty at first before evolving into an instrumental that’s both arresting to the ears and slightly dangerous too.

Dream like imagery is evoked in the sensationally ethereal ’Leaving the Mountain’ . Taking us on a personal, magical and beautiful journey through a memory of “a forest buried in ice” and “crisp Edelweiss”, Melua’s voice once more entices you in with its gentle observation in phrasing and eloquent ability to reach into the soul on what is one of my favourite on the album. It’s the kind of song you can close your eyes to while listening and be swept up in it’s description. Coupled with the choral strains of ‘Heading Home’, Melua revisits her Georgian heritage and memories of childhood splendidly with an adult understanding of teenage years. The song features a choir in the background, whose voices blend and back up Melua’s already serene voice to otherworldly levels. A country jangle is present in ‘Joy’ that swifts you along on its travels of personal growth, while the gently healing ‘Maybe I Dreamt It’ acts as a great follow up to the aforementioned track.

The jazz infused ‘Voices In The Night’ conjures up a smoky club with slow dancing and red wine. It’s probably the track on here that’s something a little change of pace and I like it for it’s faster tempo and somewhat seductive tone in comparison from the rest of the songs. And that’s meant in the best way possible and is in no way a slight on the part of the slower numbers, those are something special to and form the exemplary backbone of the record.

We find the chanteuse her on reflective form on ‘ Your Longing Is Gone’, that becomes a bittersweet ode to love and loss is a gorgeously performed song that works it’s quiet yet powerful brand of emotion on you. Like the best on the album, the tone here is struck between breezy and melancholy. The slow and slinky ‘Airtime’ ponders how much time is spent on love and its immense pressures for all involved. It’s a resounding success of a song that’s enticing as it is ruminating; burrowing itself into your mind with its lyrical content and languid sound. Rounding out the record is  ‘Remind Me to Forget’ that closes things with a pensive and growing ever closer hope of what lies ahead for her . A pleasing end to the album that feels exactly like the soul lifting following hardship with nuanced strengths. My last point of note is that credit in Album No. 8 must also be extended to the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra who provide the beautiful flourishes to this record that compliment Melua’s already substantial talent and tapestry.

So in a nutshell, Album No.8 is a personal and professional triumph for the talented Katie Melua. She’s baring her soul on this record but not in a trite or hackneyed way. Her main focus is to make this album one that opens her up to the listener with imagination and grace. Some could say that the music is just more of the same from Melua, but I think this album has more of a honest touch to it that marks it out as her most mature and detailed work to date. Just sit back, soak up the gorgeous atmosphere of reflection and enjoy its sublime aura from Katie Melua.

A New Feature

24 Monday Aug 2020

Posted by vinnieh in Announcements, Music reviews and opinions

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

New Feature

Movies are obviously a big part of my life, but so is music. I have spoken about music in the past and even reviewed albums and analysed lyrics. But I’ve decided to bring more music discussion to my blog, which will include posts about my favourite music artists and reviews. Hope you’re all on board with this idea. The primary focus of my blogs will still be movies, but music shall also feature. This is part of me getting back on track with blogging again

Music Guilty Pleasure

14 Sunday Oct 2018

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 43 Comments

Tags

Guilty Pleasures, Spice Girls

In this life, we are all entitled to guilty pleasures in movies and music. This had me thinking about my own guilty pleasures music wise. One of mine is the Spice Girls. Their music and personalities are so totally infectious. I’m not ashamed to admit to that I will sing along with Ginger, Posh, Baby, Scary and Sporty. Here’s some of their highlights.

 

But who are your musical guilty pleasures?

RIP Aretha Franklin

16 Thursday Aug 2018

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions, Rest In Peace

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

Aretha Franklin, Rest In Peace

I’m still wrestling with a chest infection, but when I heard the news of Aretha Franklin’s passing, I knew I had to do a tribute post. She was a soulful lady with a mighty voice that was simply heavenly to listen to. She was a powerhouse performer and a queen of music. May this great lady rest in peace.

A Great Song

13 Sunday May 2018

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Music

I heard this song recently on an advert and I can’t get it out of my head. I’ve always liked it so it was nice to hear it again. It’s a real ear worm.

Music I’ve Been Listening To Part 3

17 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 49 Comments

Tags

Music

Musical NotesI noticed that the musical content on my blog had been a bit lacking of late, so I decided to correct that anomaly. Here are some of the songs and music that I’ve been listening to recently. My taste is very wide in music.

 

 

 

One Catchy Song

24 Saturday Sep 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 19 Comments

Tags

Catchy Song

Do you guys ever come across a song that seems to be ubiquitous and very catchy? I recently had this with the song ‘Fire’ by Barns Courtney. It appeared on an advert for something that I saw and ever since it has remained in my head. See what you make of the song.

A Girls Aloud Post

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 46 Comments

Tags

Girls Aloud

girls-aloudI’m not ashamed to admit to being a fan of Girls Aloud. What can I say? I am a sucker for catchy pop tunes. Inspiration for this post came about when one of their songs was played in the radio and I remembered when it first was released. It had me thinking, I really miss Girls Aloud. They had such infectious songs, slightly zany lyrics and sex appeal. They boasted the fun factor that was hard to resist and there is no denying that their music wasn’t catchy as hell. I know they split up a few years back, but their music still remains evergreen. To bathe in the glory of the good days, here are some of their best songs.

 

 

Songs To Make Love To Part 3

14 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 34 Comments

Tags

Music Playlist, Sexiest Song

As the two other posts I did on this topic where widely popular, I thought it wise to do another for everyone’s pleasure. It’s a scorching day where I am and there is something sultry in the air. In the spirit of that, here are some tracks to get hot and heavy to.

 

 

 

 

Songs To Make Love To Part 2

16 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 37 Comments

Tags

Music Playlist, Sexiest Song

I really enjoyed the response I got to my first lovemaking songs post, so I thought it was only proper to do a follow-up of jams for the bedroom. If it’s music for a sensual mood, check the music out below.

 

 

 

 

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