The overall rating of a review is different from a simple average of all individual ratings.
Advantages:
Great consistency of high quality - lyrics, a few styles incorporated, contains some excellent moments in music history (namely the 'Stan' excerpt)
Disadvantages:
A few weak tracks, some tracks are nearly identical to others, sounds boring first - time through, no positive thoughts
Recommendable
Yes:
Detailed rating:
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency of tracks
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Value for Money
How does it rate alongside the competitionOutstanding
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Having just started a new job, my life is unexpectedly chaotic. I'll resume writing on Ciao as soon as possible. http://members.lycos.co.uk/ich schmatze
Member since:19.11.2000
Reviews:256
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Although it's debateable as to whether Dido would have made as big an impact as she has without the aid of Eminem (an excerpt from her song was included in the song 'Stan'), she's certainly managed to prove herself an artist within her own right in the past couple of months, not least with the release of her album 'No Angel', which has gradually creeped its way up to number one in the UK album chart since the beginning of the year.
Dido has gradually become more popular over the past few months on the musical front, in a number of different ways. Her song, 'Here With Me', which has now been released as a single, is the theme tune to the extremely popular teenage-sci-fi show 'Roswell High'. As mentioned, Eminem sampled some of her song 'Thankyou' in his song, and made it an instant success for both him and her. However, nothing has made her more of an international star than her new album 'No Angel'.
Throughout the 12 tracks of talent-showing moving songs, the Irish singer includes a number of different styles - from soft rock to ballads, from modern-rock-dance to rumba style. Each song is distinctive and beautiful in its own respect, so the album never tires.
Not only does the music never grow old, but the CD itself features a large number of extra features, including an interesting booklet with bright colours, photo-album style pictures and the usual thanks pages at the back, a bonus track and an excellent layout. On top of this, the CD is enhanced, and has two videos on it (in Quicktime Format), continuing
the chrome-metallic feel held throughout the product. Please note that these extra features are only available in the UK edition.
A rather rare feature in pop music, which is found on this album, is a high quality of songwords. All of the lyrics in each track are beautiful and have some meaning in them, which is a pleasure to find and a real treasure in itself. Unlike some artists, who obviously try to write songs with catchy tunes as opposed to make songs with some meaning in them, Dido manages to do both, perhaps one of the reasons why the album is as popular as it is.
Here is a short review of each song:
1. Here With Me - The theme-tune to Roswell High, this song has been popular since Day One with fans of the show, and has become more well-known as a single within the past few months. A slow ballad which gradually develops into a nice rock song with a strong beat and synthesised strings, and one of the catchiest tunes of the year.
2. Hunter - The title is slightly contradictory to the style of the song. Instead of being a song of fierce and evil style, it's another soft-rock song, with some excellent one-liners including 'Oh look what the cat's bought in', and some excellent accoustic moments well-integrated into a song which incorporates a number of moods within its relatively short life.
3. Don't Think Of Me - More of a 'Garbage' style song in its very strong minor mood, this song has an amazing uplifting chorus considering the sad style, which makes a great contrast. The 'So you're with her' is annoyingly addictive, and will be ringing in your head for days on end without warning.
4. My Lover's Gone - In a very Celtic air feel, this song is introduced in a style not unlike Enya, which is an interesting approach, especially for an artist who is supposed to appeal to all ages, including teenagers. A rather dull song, although it makes an enjoyable change from the soft-rock feel.
5. All You Want - With a chorus that sounds rather scarily like a castrated Tarzan with a 'Aaaahhaahaall You Want', this song is otherwise very enjoyable and would no doubt make an excellent single. Another soft-rock song with exceptional lyrics and a very moving concept behind it of a man cheating on his wife.
6. Thankyou - The 'My Tea's Gone Cold' song from Stan is instantly recognisable amongst the majority of listeners, despite its rumba-ness with the maracas and other percussional accompaniment. A very moving song, which surprisingly uses the Stan excerpt in the verse as opposed to the chorus. It takes some getting used to, but is definitely a weepingly pretty track. Sung with meaning, and intentionally so, this song is one of my favourites, and has been a recent success in the charts reaching top 10 status a month or so ago.
7. Honestly OK - A rather strange blend of wailing and accordions opens one of the more experimental songs on the album, which I am sure will not be appreciated by everyone. Nevertheless, the song is meaningful and has great lyrics, and is different from anything else on the album, possibly even the planet, and the originality makes it interesting.
8. Slide - With sounds that seem to come from an 80's arcade game, rising synth effects, and bongos, this song combines a strange mixture of styles, which are only settled with the introduction of Dido's voice, but even this is disrupted with the uneasily loud chorus. Not one of the best on the album, although certainly good background music for a party.
9. Isobel - With a strong bass and a very predictable style of beat and arpeggio-d guitars, this song sounds as if it is only going to be a very boring filler, although the chorus is so sweet, it completely changes your attitude towards it. The lyrics are also particularly good on this song too.
10. I'm No Angel - A welcomely upbeat song, this one has to be one of the best on the album. With another catchy tune and rhythm that would make even the most reluctant music-lover to tap his or her feet, you'll soon find this song becomes a part of you. It's scary, but true.
11. My Life - A very American-club sound piece, slow, 'ballady' and with a great display of control over voice, this song is depressing but enjoyable nonetheless, not least with the blue scales and jazz moments that are interspersed throughout this 3 minutes 9 seconds of exceptional quality singing.
12. Take My Hand (Bonus Track) - Although this song stars off relatively slow, it soon picks up into a beat which drives the song forward at a much faster rate. An enjoyable song, with dance incorporated into another beautiful ballad which is definitely worth a listen, if a little long at 6 minutes 42.
This album does only appear to be another mediocre gentle rock piece on the surface, but after a few listen-throughs, you soon discover that each song has its own meaning and purpose, and this is the fact that has made this album as popular as it is today. Although Dido never seems to be giving off positive vibes in any of her songs, and each song appears to be the same as the last on a first listen through, you have to listen hard to the lyrics and rhythms before you appreciate what the album is really about, one of the main reasons why people have discarded it as a useless and boring album.
I would definitely recommend this album to anyone who loves soft-rock or pop-rock, the style of music that Dido has already proved she can control in the way that she has. Any lovers of David Gray, Emiliana Torrini or other similar artists should definitely make this a future purchase. Touching and moving in so many ways, it's not an album that is instantly likeable but even though it does have a few weak tracks still scores a respectable 4 stars in my eyes.
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Feb 20th, 2001
(Jul 15th, 2001)
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