What an album! Most people get a bit scared off when they think of the name Anastacia. Why? I think it is because off her powerful voice and dominating (don’t be dirty) way. She likes to take control and be ‘there’ and this kinds of put people off, but don’t be, underneath all this is so much talent.
This is her second album, the first was not as good, quite rushed and not well thought out, but this one is very well thought out. There are a great selection of songs that are really good and of course VERY powerful. Here is each song in depth:
1. Freak Of Nature This song opens with a great line “I’m a Freak”. What a way to open an album. The beat to this is slow, steady and good. She is holding the song together well, it has a great set of lyrics, good backing, and a great voice. In the middle it loses it a bit, she does this talking ‘thing’ that ruins the song, but otherwise her choice of instruments is great as well, they complement the song.
2. Paid My Dues This is a great track. The opening is the best. She does that annoying talking, but the little intro is great. The lyrics are really ‘hum able’ as well: “even got punched in the face in LA, and nothing in the world that can keep
me from doing what I want to do”. Anastacia means business and her lyrics reflect this. She is proving to us that women are just as strong at withholding all these problems. The chorus is great, you always find yourself joining in! A good song that doesn’t flaw halfway through. (released)
3. Overdue I am not fond of this song at the start. The lyrics and instruments are not a good blend. The beat is ok, but the song reminds me of ‘Eurovision’. (what a dreaded thought!) and it seems to ‘foreign’ and not to her normal ‘classy’ tracks. The song does get better at 1 minute 30 seconds when she starts singing properly. The song develops well and is good. Apart from the beginning it is good. (If you listen carefully at about 2 minutes you can hear one of those weird foreign instruments that you hear on the French markets!)
4. This song is filled with so much emotion and is the song for my lover. I like it so much, she puts so much power into it and the words are perfect. “Many times it feels like, you can go on, just hold onto my love and you will never be alone …” It is the perfect love song. The beat is slow and good, just right for when you are sitting there in the moonlight. The best bit (and the most emotional, powerful and perfect) of the song starts at 2.42. It is so nice and loving. It is a great move from the ‘disco’ songs and the way she holds the long notes is excellent. She doesn’t flaw and holds them very well. [I devote this song to my love… I love You]
5. One Day In Your Life Another good song. It starts out a bit flat, not great, and then gets very good. She picks up the beat and makes it a good track to want to dance to. The song doesn’t have very good lyrics-they are a bit dodgy but the song loses them as you are in the heat of thinking about the song you don’t recognise them. It is a nice step up form the ‘emotional’ song and again towards the end she does those long notes perfectly as well. A class song. (released)
6. How Come The World Won’t Stop This another of those songs you cannot decide about. It starts out a bit rubbish the tempo and beat aren’t very good, she hums to much, but she doesn’t scream (sing powerfully) which is good because it means she isn’t doing the same all the time. In the chorus it is very good. She improves the song and again towards the end she dos her powerful singing, but at least it is not all the way through. The lyrics are good, very thought through.
7. Why’d You Lie To Me A great start. The song is excellent. Very up beat and hip. She has great words, “did you really think that”. Anastacia really sticks up for what she believes. She must be one of those secret women independence fighters. Towards the end of the song it gets really good, she doesn’t sing with long notes just powerfully and strongly. A good song, very enjoyable to listen to.
8. Don’t Cha Wanna Such a really cool song. “If you had the chance I know you surly would”, great opening with a good tempo – quite fast and quite slow. The beat is very good, drums hitting in the background and then it all comes together- “don’t you wanna fall in love with me” is what the background singers are singing and Anastacia is singing well over them. She adds a bit of computer synthesiser to her voice at parts which add to the coolness of the song. Overall a great song.
9. Secrets Another love song. I have to commend Anastacia on her love songs, hen she does a love song they are excellent. They make me feel so warm inside and always remind me of the greatness of love. This song does not fail this. It is great, she sings with her very powerful voice and introduces a soothing side to her voice. This song sounds like she has lost someone and it is to them. This song is perfect.
10. Don’t Stop (Doin it) What a fun song. She has a party sound on, people talking and she starts a talking kind of singing, a fun song. Then it breaks into the song with “oooooh yeah”. Very cool. The main body of the song is quite good. Great lyrics and a medium beat and tempo to keep the song going. A very fun song for parties!
11. Dreamed You Again another love song but this one lives I down a bit. It is sill good, but the piano playing at the start has kind of ruined it. It sounds wrong and they don’t mix with her voice. It is too flat. The lyrics are excellent and so is her voice but it is spoilt by that awful piano. This song really spoils the album. It spoils an excellent album. The end does get a bit better, but not by a lot.
=Overall=
There is one more song on the album, but there is no point talking about it because it is the same as number three, just changed a bit. This album is very chilled out an laid out and it has been thought through before hand. The album cover is very good as well. It is colourful with great pictures of Anastacia. The album is very good and I would advise it to anyone who likes strong female singers. Go on try it. (CD – WOW £8.99 – no P AND P).
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May 21st, 2002
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