The Internet has changed the World in so many ways and for a 25-year-old Singer/Songwriter called Sandi Thom it even made her a Star. It gave her both a number one Single and Album in the UK Music Charts and a huge Worldwide hit Single with her Song "I wish I was a punkrocker (with flowers ... Read review
Advantages: Four Superb Tracks Disadvantages: Some Weaker Songs
The Internet has changed the World in so many ways and for a 25-year-old Singer/Songwriter called Sandi Thom it even made her a Star. It gave her both a number one Single and Album in the UK Music Charts and a huge Worldwide hit Single with her Song "I wish I was a punkrocker (with flowers in my hair)."
Alexandria "Sandi" Thom released her debut Single "I wish I was a punkrocker (With flowers in my hair) in ... ...Radio Airplay this Single reached the lower part of the UK Singles Chart.
Following on from this Sandi embarked on a low-key UK tour. It is said that she had the idea of broadcasting these Gigs via her Webcam from the bedroom of her flat in Tooting. The result was phenomenal, from 70 viewers for the early Gigs her Internet audience rapidly grew to 70,000 viewers from all around the World.
The Internet has changed the World in so many ways and for a 25-year-old Singer/Songwriter called Sandi Thom it even made her a Star. It gave her both a number one Single and Album in the UK Music Charts and a huge Worldwide hit Single with her Song "I wish I was a punkrocker (with flowers in my hair)."
Alexandria "Sandi" Thom released her debut Single "I wish I was a punkrocker (With flowers in my hair) in the October of 2005. Helped by a certain amount of Radio Airplay this Single reached the lower part of the UK Singles Chart.
Following on from this Sandi embarked on a low-key UK tour. It is said that she had the idea of broadcasting these Gigs via her Webcam from the bedroom of her flat in Tooting. The result was phenomenal, from 70 viewers for the early Gigs her Internet audience rapidly grew to 70,000 viewers from all around the World.
Sceptics however believe that the Webcam theory is flawed and these broadcasts were the result of a cleverly organised publicity stunt from her Record Company. Whichever version of events that you choose to believe is now pretty much irrelevant since this stunt led to the re-release of "I wish I was a punkrocker (with flowers in my hair) and earned her a major record deal with EMI. Second time around this Single topped the UK Charts and spent ten consecutive weeks at the top of the Australian Charts.
Striking whilst the Iron was hot as the saying goes, Sandi quickly followed up this Single success with her debut Album called "Smile, It confuses people."
It is very rare that I would consider buying an Album simply on the strength of hearing just one Song from an Artist that I knew nothing about but on hearing a second Song called "What If I'm Right" I had no hesitation in parting with my hard earned cash.
This Album contains ten tracks as below:
When Horsepower meant what it said I wish I was a punkrocker (with flowers in my hair) Lonely Girl Sunset Borderline Little Remedy Castles What If I'm Right Superman Human Jukebox Time
The Album opens with the rather oddly titled Song called "When Horsepower meant what it said". This is a superb opening track and definitely one of the strongest tracks on the Album. Here Sandi's voice is quite deep and husky, complimenting a strumming Guitar as her vocals rise and fall, skipping along to the rhythm.
If you had to put Sandi Thom into a Musical Genre then on the strength of this track you would have little doubt in attaching the Folk label, but just before you do, the Song picks up pace crossing dangerously close to Rock.
Next up we have the slightly more laid back "I wish I was a punkrocker (with flowers in my hair) which sees Thom reminiscing about the World before the Internet and Mobile Phones. Since She was born in 1981 it is somewhat ironic but this is a very catchy Song and along with the opening track on the Album one of my favourites here.
The third Song "Lonely Girl" slows down the pace vocally somewhat but musically seems to be overproduced to the point where the vocals almost disappear into obscurity and as a result this is by no means a standout track like its predecessors. Instead it is a messy song that sits uncomfortably after such a promising start.
Sadly the next two Songs "Sunset Borderline" and "Little Remedy" also do little to convince me that this is the superb debut Album that I thought it was going to be, but just as I am starting to feel disappointed we are treated to two more gems in the form of "Castles" and "What if I'm right."
"Castles" is quite a moving Song with a superb melody and vocal arrangement whilst "What if I'm right" with its catchy hook was an obvious choice for the second Single to be to lifted from this Album. It reached number 22 in the UK Charts at the back end of last year.
Sadly the rest of the Album slips away again leaving nothing memorable and leaving me feeling slightly disappointed and cheated that this is not the superb CD that it could have so easily been.
Sandi Thom is clearly an incredibly talented Singer/Songwriter whose lyrics tell stories of a life that she yearns to have lived. Of how she would have loved to have been a Hippy in '69 or a Punk Rocker in '77 if only she hadn't been born too late. Since she wasn't born back then I suspect that some of this inspiration probably comes from listening to Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan records, something that has given her an understanding and an intelligence well beyond her years.
Thom's raw vocal emotion has been likened to many different female vocalists including Janis Joplin and Sheryl Crow, in a desperate attempt by people in the Music business to Pigeon-hole her into one single category and it has been said that the opening track "When Horsepower meant what it said" bears more than a passing resemblance to a KT Tunstall Song called "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree."
It is true that Sandi Thom offers nothing original here but when on form She is excellent, comfortably switching between Folk and Country, and even edging towards Rock.
"Smile, it confuses people" is an interesting debut Album that has left me completely in love with four of its tracks. Unfortunately however I feel that the remaining six Songs let the overall Album down.
With the ability to turn out such classic tunes, albeit not consistently, I am hopeful that there will be lessons learned from the Album and that a much more consistent second Album will follow. If this happens, only time will tell, but for the moment I remain hopeful, and convinced that Sandi Thom will be around for a fair while to come.
Advantages: Lovely voice, something for every mood Disadvantages: Stories can be slightly depressing for some people
...from Scotland. Her debut Album Smile... It Confuses People sold over 700,000 copies when it was released. It has 10 songs on it.
1. When Horsepower Meant What it Said - An upbeat, classic country song about horses (as if you couldn't get). It is about going back to the old days and getting the horses out of our cars and back on the roads.
2. I wish I was a Punkrocker - The perfect song to dance and sing to. It consists mainly of Sandi's voice and ... ...It was Sandi's first single to be released and wet down a storm.
3. Lonely Girl - A more soulful, slow song to include piano but Sandi starts to show the power in her voice. The title is rather self explanatory.
4. Sunset Borderline - This song is definatley one you chill out to and dream of sea, sand and surf. Mainly guitars this time.
5. Little remedy - Upbeat song. I find the symbals in this song slightly annoying but it adds to the optimism ...
Sabrina2090 17.02.2008
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Advantages: Sopme decent bouncy pop music Disadvantages: A few too many ballads, which aren't her strength
SandiThom's route to musical stardom is very much a traditional one, albeit updated for the internet age. Whereas unsigned or upcoming bands used to hit the road and tour until they became successful, SandiThom played her "21 Nights From Tooting" tour entirely from her home, broadcasting to audiences via the internet on Myspace.com. If the rumours are true, she was attracting stadium sized audiences by the end of this period, with "crowds" of up to 70,000 people tuning in, but there is now some doubt over this.
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Advantages: Some bouncy, catchy tunes Disadvantages: The chav culture lyrics
It is a rare occasion I buy an album based on hype alone, as previous experience has taught me that they tend to be disappointing. But after the enjoyment I gained from the last album I bought that way, SandiThom's "Smile?ItConfusesPeople", I thought I'd try another darling of the MySpace crowd. So I decided to give Lily Allen's "Alright, Still" a shot, especially as it was on offer in various places and available for less than £5.
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Advantages: A more mature and more rounded sound Disadvantages: Just not different enough from her debut
When SandiThom released her debut album "Smile...itConfusesPeople" in 2006, I felt it was good enough to be worth a listen, even allowing for all the hype that had surrounded it. I did think, however, that the real test would be the second album, to see how good it is when all the hype and the associated pressure were gone.
So here we are with that second album, "The Pink & The Lily". Early signs are not promising, as I'd pretty much forgotten all about her in the interim period. It seems that I was not the only one, as her debut single from the new album only charted at No 58. That's 3 places lower than the initial 2005 release of "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" achieved before anyone had heard of her and before the hype surrounding Thom really got going and the album itself has only reached a high of No 25 in the charts, as opposed ...
Product Information for "Smile... It Confuses People - Sandi Thom" »
Product details
Title
Smile... It Confuses People
Performer
Sandi Thom
Genre
Rock & Pop
Sub Genre
Singer/Songwriter
Release Date
05/06/2006
Recomended Retail Price
10.99 GBP
Original Release Year
2006
Label / Distributor
RCA / Sony Music/Arvato Services
Producer
Mighty Vibrations; Rick Parkhouse;
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
828768434321
Catalogue Number
82876843432
Additional notes
Album Notes
For her 2006 major-label debut, SMILE, IT CONFUSES PEOPLE, Scottish folk-pop performer Sandi Thom makes good on the promise of her much buzzed-about, bedroom webcast concerts. On the charming and highly percussive hit single "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" and its follow-up, "What If I'm Right," Thom allows her powerfully emotive vocals to remain at the fore, recalling a more folk-oriented version of Joss Stone.
Titles on disc 1
1.
When Horsepower Meant What It Said
2.
I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)
3.
Lonely Girl
4.
Sunset Borderline
5.
Little Remedy
6.
Castles
7.
What If I'm Right
8.
Superman
9.
Human Jukebox
10.
Time
11.
Time
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
20/02/2007
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