Songbird - Eva Cassidy

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Songbird ~ The Album
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Songbird is a compilation album of Eva Cassidy songs, released two years after the singers death at the end of 1998. It's essentially an introduction to the singers' music, compiled from 3 separate albums; Live At Blues Alley, Eva By Heart and The Other Side.

Track Listing;

1) "Fields of Gold" (4:42)
2) ...
.../> 4) "Wayfaring Stranger" (4:26)
5) "Songbird" (3:43)
6) "Time Is A Healer" (4:16)
7) "I Know You By Heart" (3:59)
8) "People Get Ready" (3:16)
9) "Oh, Had I A Golden Thread" (4:49)
10) "Over The Rainbow" (4:57)


The album is mostly acoustic with use of smooth, soft and gentle guitar strings, accompanied by a blend ... more

Eva Cassidy ~ "Songbird" £8.99 on Amazon and via iTunes

Used versions of the album can be purchased for less.

I swore to myself about a month ago that I wouldn't review this album, as I had read a review on it on Ciao that I felt I possibly couldn't better, but it is truly a great album that never fails to move me ... not too far, just a couple of feet across the room as if by magic. I haven't trawled back through my "Exceptional" ratings to see who wrote the review and what their comments were, as it would not - in my opinion - allow me to write a review based purely upon my thoughts and feelings if I re-read the piece at this stage. Anyway I thought, it's not about "bettering" someone else's review but more adding additional weight to existing views, which will allow potential consumers to make a more balanced buying decision, or not as the case may be.

I must admit my musical tastes are truly from one extreme to the other. My University friends used to marvel at how I could go from listening to hardcore gabba techno one minute, to Mariah Carey the next, then Pink Floyd, onto Dr. Dre, then to the Beatles, Classical and then on to something like Drum & Bass ~ my only explanation was that my moods changed that quickly and thus needed music to suit my mood! The Doctors said that I needed committing and you all just thought that I played such a convincing role as an extra in "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest"!

In truth, I don't always realise what mood I am in until I start playing a specific album or artist, and I can quickly realise that my selection doesn't necessarily suit my mood and I require something more mellow or maybe more up-tempo.

At the moment, this particular album is my most played and tonight I have it on repeat play and am just half way through the 3rd rendition! Bored? Nope ... each time I listen to this album, I feel genuinely moved and discover a whole new dimension to it. It's perfect for late night chilling and great for writing ... very soothing and I can actually find it quite spiritual!

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Eva Cassidy
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Sadly, Eva died of Melanoma in 1996 at the very tender age of 33, but her music still lives on and the term "angelic" voice almost takes on a whole new meaning to me now.

She was born "Eva Marie Cassidy" on 2 February 1963 in Maryland, USA, to Hugh and Barbara Cassidy, along with three siblings. It's funny how when you read stories concerning many popular and successful musicians, how their parents unseeingly had such a profound affect on their children's lives by encouraging music from such an early age. When Eva was nine years of age, her father bought her a guitar, and she began to play, particularly at family gatherings. The solution to poverty is simple, give your child a flute or guitar or some other cheap musical instrument, like the triangle and bingo … years later they will be a multi selling platinum artist. If only it was that simple hey?! My Dad give me a football and instead I am sat here drinking cider and writing instead of sleeping before performing in a big game tomorrow. Ah well!

It's odd how some people are revered more posthumously than in life itself and I find it more shocking than a room full or Labour Senior Ministers that Eva Cassidy was virtually unknown outside of her native Washington DC until after her tragic and untimely death. My Father first asked me whether I had heard the song "Songbird" by Eva Cassidy about a year and a half ago, to which I responded "Eva who?". I can honestly say that I was not prepared for what I heard and quite literally staggered back onto a seat to listen to her soulful angelic voice. The clarity of her voice is astonishing and I think we were all blessed that she recorded at all.

Eva Cassidy was extremely shy and struggled to perform in front of strangers, despite her early captive family audience, which some may have felt could have built her confidence.

At eighteen, she began playing guitar and singing for a band by the name of Easy Street in Washington DC., before writing and also recording songs with a couple of different bands, such as The Honeybees and Characters Without Names.

Eva Cassidy recorded her first commercial album "The Other Side", as a duet with Chuck Brown (A "Go-Go" singer), and it included Eva's signature song "Over The Rainbow", featured on the "Songbird" album.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Songbird ~ The Album
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Songbird is a compilation album of Eva Cassidy songs, released two years after the singers death at the end of 1998. It's essentially an introduction to the singers' music, compiled from 3 separate albums; Live At Blues Alley, Eva By Heart and The Other Side.

Track Listing;

1) "Fields of Gold" (4:42)
2) "Wade In The Water" (4:02)
3) "Autumn Leaves" (4:41)
4) "Wayfaring Stranger" (4:26)
5) "Songbird" (3:43)
6) "Time Is A Healer" (4:16)
7) "I Know You By Heart" (3:59)
8) "People Get Ready" (3:16)
9) "Oh, Had I A Golden Thread" (4:49)
10) "Over The Rainbow" (4:57)

The album is mostly acoustic with use of smooth, soft and gentle guitar strings, accompanied by a blend of high and low mixed piano notes, and the hauntingly angelic voice of Eva Cassidy. I don't think any words I could ever write or say could ever do justice to the sheer majesty and crystal angelic quality of Eva's voice. She was truly blessed and it is evident in her singing. There are certain tracks on the album that demonstrate her diverse repertoire of blues, folk, gospel, pop and jazz.

1) "Fields of Gold" ~ Eva's angelic voice adds a new dimension to this song for me. I loved this song as a "Sting" song and had never heard of Eva's version prior to falling in Love with the version "Sting" produced. I have always found that when you like a song, it is rare that you like another version "better" than the original version you heard, whether that is the "original" recording or not. I had this issue when I adored Mariah Carey's version of "Without You" and could subsequently never completely appreciate the majesty of the original by Harry Nilsson, until some years later.

The gentle strumming of guitar and completely acoustic approach to this track bring an added mellow and more solemn feel to this song, the magic of which differs somewhat from Sting's performance, which is much happier and more summery in it's slightly more complex composition.

The song is ultimately about courtship, commitment, marriage and then death, and - so I have been reliably informed - is one of Stings' wife's most favourite songs.

2) "Wade In The Water" ~ Quite a folk and jazz influenced track, with excellent use of the "Sax-a-ma-phone" !! (tehe). It's funny that although this song is not featured in the film "O'Brother Where Art Thou", I almost feel it should. For anyone who has seen the film, they may know what I am getting at. For those who haven't it is based on Homer's Odyssey (No, not the yellow cartooned King Of Comedy), and this has been described as a slave song.

The song centres on redemption and baptism as the form of washing away the sins ~ wading in the water.

3) "Autumn Leaves" ~ A very sombre song, with fabulous use of plucking guitar strings and soft piano notes, to harmonise beautifully with Eva's soulful tones.

A song, purely and simply about death, focusing upon how the dearly departed mourns and misses their loved ones passing ~ "But I miss you most of all my darling, When Autumn leaves start to fall".

4) "Wayfaring Stranger" ~ Quite a jazz and blues orientated influenced track, and a little more up-tempo than the preceding tracks with a more obvious use of percussion and heavier guitar strumming. It's evidently more complex than the other tracks, yet peaks and troughs gradually with moments for chilling.

5) "Songbird" ~ It is hard to find a highlight to such a magnificently pure album, but for me this is where Eva truly comes into her own!

"For you there will be no crying…."

It is a truly moving song and can bring some close to tears. It's all about love and commitment people and I must admit, this has quickly become one of my favourite ever songs and feel it is truly wonderful.

6) "Time Is A Healer" ~ Greater use of piano in this song and a more contemporary folk song in it's composition.

The title gives away the theme of the song…. "Love heals the wounded man…"

7) "I Know You By Heart" ~ Another of the more magical soulful songs on the album, combining her angelic voice with slow pluck guitar strings and soft piano playing.

A song about a love that has been lost to death, and is reflective upon the time they shared together and their closeness as soul mates … "I Know you by heart".

8) "People Get Ready" ~ A religious song centring upon faith and the belief in Jesus Christ as the saviour of humanity in the form of a train destined for the holy land (in this case, Jordan), as a euphemism for Heaven.

9) "Oh, Had I A Golden Thread" ~ A very soulful folk orientated song using piano and what sounds like an accordion and organ at one stage. A more noticeable use of percussion with this song.

10) "Over The Rainbow" ~ The song barely needs an introduction, as it so well known. This is truly the best I have ever heard the song performed.

It is Eva's signature tune without doubt. A beautifully paced guitar intro builds into the first tones uttered from Eva's voice box. This is a very mellow and sombre song, which again almost draws tears from the listener.

I truly feel Eva has done this song absolute justice and hairs stand up at the back of my neck when she passionately belts out the end of the song.

· Audio CD (19 May 1998)
· Original Release Date: (31 March 1998)
· Number of Discs: 1
· Label: Blix Street
· Catalog Number: 10045
· ASIN: B000006AKD
· Also Available in: Audio Cassette | LP Record

Thanks for reading.
Newty ;-)
 

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