... Life for Rent is perhaps more of the same but Dido still manages to surprise and explore her musical talent to the full.
Someone, once said to me that Life to Rent was the kind of album, where if life was tough, you grabbed a bottle of wine and a bar of choccie and allowed her to soothe ... Read review
multi-million selling No Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as ...
multi-million sellingNo Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as us...
Life for Rent - Dido
Life for Rent was always going to be a tough prospect for Dido--how to follow up the ... more
multi-million selling No Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as ...
Life for Rent - Dido
Life for Rentwas always going to be a tough prospect for Dido--how to follow up the ... more
multi-million sellingNo Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as us...
Life for Rent - Dido
Life for Rentwas always going to be a tough prospect for Dido--how to follow up the ... more
multi-million sellingNo Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as usual with down-tempo beats, lush orchestrations, the odd bit of acoustic guitar and her distinctive voice as the cherry on top. However, a closer examination of the lyrics shows that the sweet happy English Rose has a much darker side to her--the joyous revelations of tracks such as "Thank You" on her debut album have been replaced by the sound of her heart breaking. Dido writes from the heart, sharing her personal life with her audience, soLife for Renttells the tales of her life away from the recording studio, in particular her public break-up with her long-term boyfriend and all the apparent mess that ensued. With tales of rows ("Stoned"), confusion following an ended love affair ("White Flag") and her inability to settle down ("Life for Rent"), it's insecurities, self doubt and despair all around.There is hope, with one of the album's musical highlights "Sand in My Shoes", which sees her going off on holiday and embarking on a holiday romance--halfway between Club 18-30 and Shirley Valentine. It's impossible not to think of Bridget Jones when listening to the album, and this, in the first instance, is the audience for whom this album will reach out and touch.--Melanie Wilkin
multi-million sellingNo Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as usual with down-tempo beats, lush orchestrations, the odd bit of acoustic guitar and her distinctive voice as the cherry on top. However, a closer examination of the lyrics shows that the sweet happy English Rose has a much darker side to her--the joyous revelations of tracks such as "Thank You" on her debut album have been replaced by the sound of her heart breaking. Dido writes from the heart, sharing her personal life with her audience, soLife for Renttells the tales of her life away from the recording studio, in particular her public break-up with her long-term boyfriend and all the apparent mess that ensued. With tales of rows ("Stoned"), confusion following an ended love affair ("White Flag") and her inability to settle down ("Life for Rent"), it's insecurities, self doubt and despair all around.There is hope, with one of the album's musical highlights "Sand in My Shoes", which sees her going off on holiday and embarking on a holiday romance--halfway between Club 18-30 and Shirley Valentine. It's impossible not to think of Bridget Jones when listening to the album, and this, in the first instance, is the audience for whom this album will reach out and touch.--Melanie Wilkin
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A review by DDG_Moi on Life For Rent - Dido May 12th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks
A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Outstanding
Value for Money
Advantages:
A wonderful album
Disadvantages:
None
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
What do you do when your debut album makes you a household name and gives you the undisputed title Queen of Melancholy? You take your time and go off and release another hopefully fabulous album. Dido with her unique vocal style has followed up the 1999 release of No Angel with an album that in some ways could be considered even better than her first. Life for Rent is perhaps more of the same but Dido still manages to surprise and explore her musical talent to the full.
Someone, once said to me that Life to Rent was the kind of album, where if life was tough, you grabbed a bottle of wine and a bar of choccie and allowed her to soothe away all your problems as after hearing all about her's you'd realize yours where nothing in comparison! Now before you get the impression that this album is a near suicidal showcase it's not. Dido cleverly crafts together many aspects of modern society gone wrong and gives her interpretation of it - very well in some cases.Yes it's melancholic in places, yes it's damn right depressing in other places but some how Dido manages to soothe away your own personal stresses with her unique vocal and instrumental style. It's the kind of album I listen to when I need time out from the world, when I need to have my inner self kissed better and yes this album really does do that!
The album is no means unique in it's contents, Dido uses the same old sad song fodder of love gone wrong, unrequited love etc but what is unique perhaps is her intepratation of it.Lyrically this album is not the strongest but add her vocal style to them and you do have lyrics that make you think.Add a polished instrumental sound track and you have one hell of a good album on your hands.
As with most of her musical career Life for Rent is a collaboration with her brother Rollo, all the tracks were co writen with him, with the occasional input from another writer. The pair also worked together to produce the album.
***White Flag***
Opening with a classical meets synthesizer sound which belies the fact Dido studied music at the Royal College of Music, the instrumental interpretation make this track a superb way to open an album. What really makes this one of my favourites tracks on the album is Dido's stunning intepratation of lyrics that on reading are a little bit lack luster in places but some how seem to work.
Ever been in love? Ever been in love so much it hurts? Ever been in love so much it hurts but you'll fight to the bitter end to stop it slipping away? If you nod in agreement with the latter statement then Dido might well be talking about you. How many of us have hoped against hope that just maybe......Just maybe if we speak up then we might just change things, that we have to give it one last shot, that we even if we do have to walk away we'll do it knowing that the other person knows with out a doubt how we feel......I'm sure there are a fair few people here who have refused to wave the white flag of surrender without giving it one last shot......
"Well I will go down with this ship And I won't put my hands up and surrender There will be no white flag above my door I'm in love and always will be........"
***Stoned***
You could be forgiven in thinking that this was going to be Dido's look at drug addiction with it's title. I suppose in a way if you think of love as a drug then you might well be right in your surmising.
Stoned opens with a trance like instrumental opener with drum beats featuring heavily, it seems to go on for ever but in fact only lasts a minute. The drum beat features heavily throw out the rest of the tract.
Dido in Stoned attempts to look at how soul destroying it is being in a relationship that is one sided, how lonely and soul destroying it can be. Dido in her unique way shows us that we deserve better. Stoned charts the realization that you are in a one sided relationship because just maybe you might be able to get them to love you, that the loneliness and the disregard you are held in will be worth while once they realize that they do indeed love you. The closing lyrics where she asks to be taken home are poignant in the fact she finally realizes that she deserves better, that we all deserve better......
"Cause if you won't let me fall for you Then you won't see the best that I would love to do for you......."
***Life for Rent***
A truly beautiful and poignant track that looks at the fact that just sometimes you have to take a risk to reach hold of your dreams.You imagine that Dido sings from the bittersweet experience of someone who has been hurt in love before and now needs to realize that just sometimes you have to take the risk of heart ache to find true happiness. That you can live your life with barriers up but you can only be truly happy if you lay down those barriers and take the risk that heart ache may come knocking again or you might just find true happiness.....
"If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy Well I deserve nothing more than I get Cos nothing I have is truly mine......."
***Mary's in India***
I'm sure we've all done it, kept an eye on a friend who's been left high and dry in the love life stakes haven't we? Be they male or female we've all wanted to make sure they are ok that they are getting throw it all.I'm sure we've all done the late night phone calls to a grief stricken friend, shared their joy when they get throw a day without thinking of the one they've lost and finally be there when the realization that they can get throw this and come out the other end still emotionally intact.
Dido in Mary's in India gives us her take of this. With a melodic, slow instrumental backing this poignant track charts the course of someone watching a good friend hurting and wanting to wash their pain away for them. But knowing that all they can do is be there for them. Dido worries as I'm sure we all have about whether Danny is eating properly "Danny's not eating, he's drinking and sleeping in....." she's there when Danny packs up all of Mary's things and finally with a twist in the tail ends up with Danny telling Mary not to worry about him as she's taking care of him now......
"And we danced and we drank and I've seen some things you probably never got the chance to see Don't worry, Mary cos I'm taking care of Danny And he's taking care of me......."
***See you when you're 40***
I'm sure we've all gone back to a lover that we know that deep down is not going to change, that our rose tinted spectacles show us an untrue image and then finally we regain our senses. In See you when your 40 Dido tell how that just sometimes we have to revisit the past if only to realize that what we really knew deep down is true.
See you when your 40 shows that it's only human to make mistakes, that we learn by our mistakes. It charts the realization from driving around for hours and thinking that just maybe it will work out even though those close to us have warned us to finally realising that no way on earth would it work. That the person you thought they were isn't the person you are now faced with. That this is not a person you want in your life.
"And I've seen, tonight, what I'd been warned about I'm gonna leave, tonight, before I change my mind......"
***Don't leave home***
At this point in the album the tempo shifts up a notch or two, gone are the slow melodic sounds of the previous tracks, but it's still distinctively a Didoesque sound.
On first listening this track made me think it was about being there for someone, being their safety net and giving this love unconditionally. Listening again I'm more of the thought it's about wanting to give every thing and in some way control that person. It's about forsaking others as so often happens in a new relationship Dido suggests "close the blinds and shut the door, you don't need other friends any more" Not the strongest track on the album but not one I automatically hit skip on either.
"Oh how quiet, quiet the world can be When it's just you and little me Everything is clear and everything is new So you won't be leaving will you"
***Who makes you feel***
I did a double take when I first heard this track as it sounds so unlike Dido, with a very poppy feel to it, this track sounds a little out of place with the other melodic tracks on the album. But this does not mean it's a bad track far from it.
In Who Makes You Feel Dido tells the tale of a relationship gone stale, of the realization that just maybe it's time to bale out, that you can no longer paper over the cracks and indeed don't really want to. A poignant reminder that you don't have to be stuck in a rut nor accept second best.That you don't deserve second best.
"But listen and think when I say Oh but listen and think when I say Who makes you feel the way that I make you feel......"
***Sand in my shoes***
I'm sure we've all had a holiday romance in our time, and jolted back to reality on our return home, back as Dido puts it to the flat on the road, where the cars never stop going through the night. Where for those first few days at home you just wish your self back watching sunsets and getting sand in your shoes.
Sand in my shoes opens with a synthesizer beat that practically drowns out the faint roar of the waves in the back ground. Somehow the instrumental tracking just doesn't work with the rather poignant lyrics. I wanted a soulful Dido, I wanted a melochancolic Dido not some jazzed up pop version of her.
"I've still got sand in my shoes And I can't shake the thought of you I should get on, forget you But why would I want to......"
***Do you have a little time***
In most relationships there comes a time when it all becomes a bit routine and those first few months where you spent every available minute together and if you weren't together you were on the phone/texting mailing etc see far away. Dido in Do you have a little time looks at a relationship where she feels neglected where she wants just a little time. She points out to her lover that he can find her standing by over here at the side of your life. You know that she wants to shout I'm here, spend some time with me! She wants to show her lover she will always be there for him but she feels neglected, perhaps a spare part in his life.....
"Do you have a little time Do you have a little time for me If you should stop for a while You will find me standing by Over here at the side of your life....."
***This land is mine***
This track could easily be the follow on from Life to rent, having learnt the lesson that you do have to take a risk in life to find happiness This land is mine shows Dido to be in a new relationship, mindful of past hurts but gradually taking down the barriers around her heart in order to be able to love again, but stating loud and clear that she is in charge. she admits she's been hurt but bit by bit the walls are coming down.
This land of mine opens with an upbeat guitar sound and Dido gives her all vocally in this track, it's very reminiscent of Thank You from the No Angel album.
"This land is mine and I let you rule I let you navigate on demand Just as long as you know…this land is mine...."
***See the Sun***
We've all been there for a friend I'm sure when their relationship goes wrong but there comes a point when you do have to perhaps gently tell them to let go that there is no going back and that indeed going back really isn't an option for them! Dido in a surprisingly upbeat sounding track tells a friend that they need to move on that they can't carry on mopping about that they need to live life again bullying them into making tentative steps back to the land of The living - "We're going for a walk, I know you can You can wear anything as long as it's not black .Please don't mourn forever..." She goes on to point out that even though it's over they should be grateful for having ever known them - " Do you remember telling me you found the sweetest thing of all You said one day this was worth dying for So be thankful you knew her at all" but all the while gently telling them it is over and that they will get back to normal again that they will see the sun again but they have to move on.
"And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day Well I promise you you'll see the sun again....."
Life for Rent in my opinion is a worthy follow up to No Angel and one of those albums you have to listen to at least once to fully appreciate how talented Dido is.
Advantages: An exceptional Album, well worth a listen, Disadvantages: Can't seem to listen to it on my PC,
...gentle drum beat.
3) Life for rent
This is the title track, a very heart felt, and beautiful song about being unable to commit to a relationship, being afraid that she will tire of things and get bored.
The chorus is very catchy “But if my life is for rent, and I don’t learn to buy, well I deserve nothing more than I get, coz nothing I have is truly mine”
This third track is slightly slower than the first two tracks, and with mainly guitar and ... ...you could walk with me?
Life will pass you by when you move this quickly,
What can you see when you are spinning around?
Do you have a little time for me?
This track is very slow, and starts with a violin and in comes a gentle drum, even though the chorus is a lot slower than on most of her other tracks, it is still very catchy.
10) This land is mine
This song speeds up quite a bit from track 9, I feel that she is singing about the fact that ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: I'd do Dido. I would. Disadvantages: A couple of weak tracks
...mean that she is depressing. Life For Rent is tender, easy to listen to mood music that has become a gentle musical companion to me on long journeys or during long, uneventful evenings.
For those of you who have never heard her sing (and I can’t imagine there are many of you) she has a powerful, but slightly unusual voice. At times she sounds slightly hoarse, but then at other times her voice is smooth and sensual. Much of the material on ... ...Shoes. As such, I find Life For Rent fairly difficult to listen to from end to end, as one or two of the songs don’t really match the mood of the rest. Certainly, the album opens far stronger than it closes. Without having bought Dido’s first album, No Angel, it would be difficult to make fair comparisons, but based on the single releases there would appear to be a few changes. The singles released off No Angel seemed to have a more epic, ...
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Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
very helpful
21.01.2004
Brokenhearted? Review ofLife For Rent - Didoby
ClaireG86
Advantages: Great lyrics and music Disadvantages: Only 11 tracks, could make you feel sad
...taking chances and not letting life go by. The album has already received both admiration and criticism in the papers, but no doubt will go on to top the previous album sales, due to loyal Dido fans and new listeners. I got to like “Thank You” most when it was the first track on an album entitled “Funky Divas”, which was a Xmas present a couple of years ago. This album itself contains about 40 tracks from female artists including Sophie Ellis Bextor, ... ...not wanting to make their life harder yet not wanting to surrender that love. The instrumentals gradually increase in volume, beginning with the acoustic guitar and gradually increasing tempo with the keyboards and drums.
The next track is Stoned (5.55) and this follows in the one sided love theme, with the singer left out in the cold. I like the instrumentals for the same reason as White Flag, and I particularly enjoy the catchy chorus for this ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
very helpful
04.11.2003
Life and Love Review ofLife For Rent - Didoby
CaptainKidd
Advantages: Great songs , great vocals Disadvantages: Songs on a sad subject
~ Dido - “ Life For Rent ” ~
Released Date ( UK ) : 29 / 09 / 2003
Record Label : BMG / Arista
Ref : 828765459822
Roll back to 1999 , and a young north London girl , with musical brother and a quite superb voice , finally records an album of her own . Her record label instantly think American , and off she goes to promote it .
One track in particular , “ Thank you “ gained the attention of White American rapper Emimem , who samples it on to ... ...up album , titled “ Life For Rent “
All tracks are part written by Dido herself , and collaborators include writer / producer Rick Nowels and brother Rollo Armstrong .
All tracks are homely , intimate , romantic even domestic , and revolve around the break-up of a relationship , covering all aspects from the refusal of its ending , to its acceptance. Are they based on real life , only Dido knows.
-~- The Tracks -~-
Track 1) White Flag
The first ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Very easy to listen too Disadvantages: Quite melancholy in places
...is with an album like Life for Rent.
Life for Rent was released at the back end of 2003 and became an instant success. The first single taken from the album White Flag had been released 3 weeks before the album and quickly became her biggest hit to date so suddenly there was much anticipation about this album.
I remember looking at the CD in HMV just after it had been released and debating whether or not to part with my 15 quid or not. I decided ... ...leave home the second single, Life for Rent the title track and third single and the new single and my favourite one so far, Sand in my shoes. It was these four songs that stood out on the first play, which left we me thinking that maybe the tracks in-between were not quite so good.
Dido for me is the sort of artist that is very easy to listen too. Nice, pleasant background music with nothing too heavy, just a catchy hook. There is nothing original ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: A beautiful mellow album Disadvantages: Didoesque sounding
...someone you cannot have.
Stay now starts off with a lovely violin introduction and then becomes an accoustic classic, a lovely mellow sounding song with lots of pleasant accoustic pleasantries with an orchestra backing track thrown in. A very soothing classic that wouldn't sound out of place on the nightime slot on the Chill radio station.
The last track is Flying High, its basically just an accoustic guitar and Jem singing, which is absolutely beautiful. One of the best tracks on the album.
On the whole this album is great and Jem has some beautiful tracks, but if I hadn't of known who this was, I cannot help but compare her to Dido, she sounds very similar but on the whole I think this album just edges my favouritism over Dido's "life for rent"....
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Advantages: Great singer & Great songs Disadvantages: None for me !
...♥ Dido & me :
I discovered Dido's voice by accident. I am far from being a fan of rap songs. And yet, when i heard the song "Stan" by Eminem, I immediately liked it and noticed the female voice, not knowing whose voice it was. Shortly after, I saw the video and could see who she was.
I recognized her voice watching the "Roswell" series : "Here with me". Straightaway, I loved this song (and still do). I bought «No Angel» 2 years ago, that is to say simultaneously with her second album "Life for rent". I have listened to Dido's albums without being bored.
I am now looking forward to her third album : ))
♪♪ « No Angel » ♪♪
Black, red & grey are the colours of the cover of this album which was out in 1999. In the booklet, you'll find the words of the songs and photos of the singer, when she was...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: New songs, Dido's voice Disadvantages: Not as good as I hoped it would be
...I have been willing to write this review for a while but never had the time to do it properly. Now is the time.
*
*
*
As I am a big Dido fan (although I've never seen her live), I own her three albums and I don't get bored of listening to them. My favourite CD is "No Angel" and especially the song "Here with me". I like her voice, of course, but also the blending of slow songs and dance tunes.
*
About Dido (short version)
This is my own summary, I'm sure you know her very well already.
She's an English singer. She's got one brother who was a member of the band Insomnia"' ("I can get no sleep"). Dido's first album was released in 1999 and "Life for Rent" in 2003. I bought both Cds almost simultaneously and discovered them, it was at the end of 2003. I was immediately fond...
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Label / Distributor: Cheeky / Sony Music/Arvato Services
Producer: Dido
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 828765459822
Catalogue Number: 82876545982
Additional notes
Album Notes: Personnel includes: Dido (vocals, programming); Adam Zimmon, Paul Herman (acoustic guitar); Rick Knowles (guitar, keyboards); Rusty Anderson, Dave Randall (guitar); Sister Bliss (piano, keyboards, programming); Mark Bates (harmonium, keyboards, percussion, programming); Aubrey Nunn (bass); Andy Treacy, Mako Sakamoto (drums); Carlos Paucar (percussion); P-Nut, Steve Sidelynk (programming); Pauline Taylor (background vocals). "White Flag" was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Recording information: The Church; Cubejam; The Ark; Angel Studios; Wessex Studios; Air Studios. Imagine Beth Orton with a bit more of a pop lilt, and you'll have a good idea of the general approach on LIFE FOR RENT, UK pop siren Dido Armstrong's long-awaited follow-up to her 1999 debut album. Dido's light, feathery voice and simple, purposefully delivered melodies sit atop a mixture of Jewel-like folk-pop and more contemporary, electronics-laden production a la her former group Faithless. Like Orton, Dido injects a touch of highly accessible trip-hop into her sound, as on the moody, clever "See You When You're 40," with its loping, funky groove, or "Who Makes You Feel," with its evocative, atmospheric samples. The mood throughout is a soft, girlish one, as Dido weaves gentle portraits of a woman going through the whole emotional spectrum, with the lightness offset by smarter-than-your-average-pop-star lyrics and small surprises in the arrangements.
Album Reviews: Entertainment Weekly (10/3/03, p.72) - "...the British singer smartly picks apart shaky relationships and brings to the subject of romance something rare: a level head." - Rating: B Mojo (Publisher) (11/03, p.125) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Intelligent, yet without pretension, Dido distils every acute observation down to its emotional pith..."
Titles on disc 1
1.: White Flag
2.: Stoned
3.: Life For Rent
4.: Mary's In India
5.: See You When You're 40
6.: Don't Leave Home
7.: Who Makes You Feel
8.: Sand In My Shoes
9.: Do You Have A Little Time
10.: This Land Of Mine
11.: See The Sun
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Listed on Ciao since : 01/10/2003
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