Ceremonials Album Review

Sorry this review took so long.  I was just not happy with my review.  When I listed to these songs for the first time, I was being too nit-picky.  I thought to my-self, I don’t like this…I don’t like that.  But when you step back and just enjoy these songs, you hear just how great they are.  So, I spent time editing my review to make sure it reflects exactly what I think.  

My first encounter with Florence + the machine was through Glee.  I heard Dog Days Are Over on my Glee Pandora Station.  I liked it but when Pandora finally played the original, I was much happier.  I usually prefer Glee’s version of the songs they sing (I especially prefer the songs that Lea Michelle sings on) but this was different.  I love Dogs Days are over and I listen to it almost every day. So, when I saw that they had a new album out, I took a chance.

The first up is If Only for Tonight.  When she starts singing it sounds a little like and Adele song, just a hint in the beginning, then the drums start, which are perfect for her voice.  This song is a very good opener.  It sets a good mood for the whole album.  You feel like she lived these moments and emotions.  The melody is strangely perfect and I like that it ends with the faintness of that piano that started the song.  The only draw back is that I think that the engineer should have picked up the volume right before the “ayy-ahyy yea”’s start.

Now, on to track two.  It is called Shake it Out. Overall, it is a good catchy song, if not a little church-y for my taste.  The song stays strong but I think that it looses momentum in the end. 

The next track is three, What the Water Gave Me.  This is interesting.  I like it.  It’s an earthy sound; however, I am not a fan of the rock and roll break…not good for her at all.  What I do like about this song is that it tells a story.  And, with the exception of the bridge, the melody is good. 

Now, to track 4. This song continues with the narrative of the last song.  I like the ending but I think it is a bit too long.  I think after a while the “never let me go”’s are not sounding good (maybe a better mix would have helped?).  I also, do not like the last verse sung in the song.  I don’t think it sounds good.

Track 5 – I don’t like those fast notes in there.  I am not sure this song it working so far and I do NOT like the yelling/high notes.  I am happy that it has a standard beat but I don’t think that it is the strongest song on the album; however, I can see that it might appeal to listeners who prefer a pop sound. 

Track 6 – No Light starts with drums and then it breaks into a very fantastic sound scape.  It sounds like something you would hear in a Cirque du Soleil show.  Then the verse starts and it is beautiful and haunting. Then later the song breaks into a rock song sound. The only thing is that I think that the melody gets lost sometimes.  But it is a great song.

Seven Devils starts a bit creepy.  It’s a very interesting song but not radio friendly.  That would be my only reservation.  The chorus had great harmonies and keeps the creepy feeling.  I might venture to say that this is F+M’s version of a slow song.  Overall, this is a good song, it has its purpose, but I prefer the happier, faster songs on this album. 

Track 8 is Heartlines.  It is definitely a happier tone, but the tempo is slow.  It has a natural sound to it.  The melody is ok but the sound is a little too space-y for me and I do not like the vocal mix at time.  Also, towards the end of the song the drum mix is getting on my nerves.  I feel like they are “building” to something that never happens.

Track 9 is Spectrum.  I like the high vocals just before the drums kick in.  I like how this song has a better beat.  Just what I was looking for.  The chorus is very interesting.  Not what I expected but I like it.  I do like the ending of the song.  The sweet harp put me in a trance. 

Next, is All This and Heaven Too, the second to the last song on the album.  I don’t like the beginning sound effects.  I think it takes away from the song once the instrumentation begins.  The backing vocals are very church-y/operatic.  I like this song.  It reminds me of a church hymn. The only thing is that the words a hard to hear and understand.  I would sing this song in my car but it would be difficult because I wouldn’t be able to sing the words. 

The last song is Leave My Body.  The beginning instruments were not what I expected for the last song.  I thought it would be a happy song but it started more somber.  The chorus goes for a broad grand sound.  It has an interesting mix of progressions.  I like the progressions.

Overall, I like this album.  I read that Florence wanted to make it a continuation of her last album and I think that goal was accomplished. I think some songs really go there, and its great. Also, all the songs tell a story through the lyrics.  I really like that because the listener can make the song special for them.  I think that is one key for a successful band, and for the success for F+M.

My downloads are Only If for A Night, What the Water Gave Me and No Light No Light.  This album gets 5/5 stars and can be purchased here.

Stay Tuned...

Coming soon.  A review of Amy Winehouse Lioness: Hidden Treasures.

Also, my review of Florence + the Machine Ceremonials is almost completed.

So, stay tuned...

Mylo Xyloto Album Review

Mylo Xyloto Album Review

I like Coldplay; I have always been a fan of the songs that are played on the radio but I will admit that I do not own any of their albums, until now.  Purchasing an album named Mylo Xyloto from Coldplay is somewhat expected coming from such an unordinary band.  According to Yahoo Music, Chris Martin gave up the meaning, which is that Mylo is a good name (ok, if you say so) and Xyloto is a made up word for Xylophone toes since music comes from your fingers and toes.  I don’t really care for the title, however; I like that it came from a creative place and that it has meaning for the band.  And, that is one thing that I really like about Coldplay.  They make music for themselves, not only for us. 

The Track listing includes:
1. Mylo Xyloto
2.  Hurts Like Heaven
3.  Paradise
4. Charlie Brown
5. Us Against the World
6. MMIX
7. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
8. Major Minus
9. UFO
10. Princess of China
11. Up in Flames
12. A Hopefull Transmission
13. Don’t Let it Break Your Heart
14. Up with the Birds

First is the title track, Mylo Xyloto.  It is only :45 long so it is an intro to the album.  It starts as a sound scape and then escalates in volume to the end transitioning in to the next track. 

Hurts Like Heaven is very electronic but not in a bad way.  I like the melody and the beat.  I just don’t like how the instruments overshadow the vocals a bit but I imagine that was the sound they were going for.  This song is very upbeat.  It reminds me of viva la vida in that it just makes you feel good and perhaps want to dance wherever you are.  I had to look up the lyrics since I could not really understand them as the song was going.  They are very good, very Coldplay I might say.  This song does not disappoint. 

The second single is Paradise.  Paradise has a long intro but it is very pleasing.  The lyrics are clear and nice.  I especially like the chorus.  The instruments compliment the vocals very nicely.  The song does not sound overproduced even though it is very electronic.  It has a very similar sound to Hurts Like Heaven but manages to have a uniqueness that is very nice. 

Charlie Brown opens with a nice guitar lick and another long intro.  It has very good lyrics but I did not see the meaning of the title.

Us Against the World  has a long intro too.  You might say that this is the first slow song on the album.  The vocals are very predominate and it is an acoustic song compared with the previous tracks.  I am not sure I like the chorus.  I think it drags the song.  And I don’t like the electric guitar lick.  And there are a few badly sung notes. 

MMIX is a very short interlude.  It serves to transition from the slow song back into a faster electronic tempo.  There is not anything going on at all.

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall is the first single off the album.  This song begins with a synth and then an acoustic guitar comes in and then an electric guitar too.  There is a heavy base drum on the down beats which makes the beat very club like.  I am not sure I would have made this the first single, maybe the second.  There are much more approachable songs on the album.  The vocals are a lot of long notes and it gets a bit old.   However, I do like the ending.  It was a pleasant surprise.  It was needed because so far the songs seem to follow the same formula.  Long intro, verse lyrics and then end, makes for a boring album but this spiced things up a bit. 

Major Minus starts with a strong guitar strumming that has just a hint of old school country.  But the song quickly changes it's tune to a rock song.  I don’t like the melody of the verses or the chorus.  How many times are you going to have OOO’s as the beginning of the chorus?  I think there is too much going on in this song.  It starts acoustic, then tries to be a rock song but in the middle it goes back to a sound scape and then it ends as a rock song.  Let’s hope the album picks up. 

UFO is another slow song.  It has good lyrics and a nice guitar accompaniment.  Its in the slow songs that you can tell Martin’s faults as a singer.  But hey, there is not perfect singer in the world and he knows how to work his voice and he is very good at doing what he does.  You know I actually like this song.  His vocals add to the vulnerability of the lyrics.  I just don’t like the ending.  I am OOO’ed out.  I would have preferred the same guitar that began the song to end it.

Princess of China is the song featuring Rihanna begins very much like a trance song but it keeps a balance between that and a rock song.  The sound is a bit aggressive but dreamlike too; the track reminds me of what a Faithless song might sound like.  Rihanna and Coldplay are an interesting mix, but I am not sure that they compliment each other.  This album is supposed to be a concept album about a love story so I suppose she plays the woman in the story. But, the best part about this track is the arrangement and instrumentation.  Plus, you can barley hear the vocals which makes me think that they didn’t really want to highlight them but even still you can sense the pain of the song.  

Up in Flames is opposite to the song that preceded it.  I think this is the first time you can noticeably hear a piano but this natural sound is complimented with an electronic beat.  You know I don’t really like the drums.  I think it takes away from the emotion that the song could have but instead all you hear is the rim tap.  Otherwise, I think it would have been a very beautiful song. 

A Hopefull Transmission is another short transition song.  These songs make sense listening to the album from beginning to end but I don’t think that most people do that anymore.  They listen to their iPods and I think that these short songs that do not have much content would be really annoying for those listeners.  Which makes me ask the question: why not just tack these songs to the end of the previous track or the beginning of the next track?  I mean, the songs all ready have long intros anyways.  Another few seconds would not make a difference. 

Don’t Let it Break Your Heart starts with a burst of sound.  Which isn’t bad except for the cymbals.  I don’t like them in the chorus.  And, again you can’t really hear the words.  It just sounds like he is just saying a few words really long.  Artists like to do that now and I think that drowning out the vocals has its place but for a band that always has such good lyrics, why would you want to do that? 

Up with the Birds is that last song on the album.  Its starts slow with predominate vocals.  The arrangement is a sound scape in the beginning but then a guitar adds in.  Then the song transitions and sounds like the other faster songs on the album.  I am happy that the song picked up because when I heard the beginning, I liked it but was disappointed at the choice for the last song.  You want to go out with a bang and the beginning was not a bang.  At the end of the song, everything fades to a long piano playing a sweet riff and that is how the album closes leaving the listener feeling good and hopeful.

The whole album has a kind of hopeful-electronic sound.  It looses some focus in the middle but I suppose that’s what will happen in an album that’s 14 songs long. This album is everything you would expect from a Coldplay album, great lyrics and great music.  I give the album 4/5 stars.  Download Paradise and Hurts Like Heaven (too bad all the songs don’t sound like those two). The album can be purchased here.

Stay Tuned...

Next up for review is Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay and Ceremonials from Florence and the Machine.  So stay tuned......

A Very She and Him Christmas Album Review

I have been a fan of Zooey Deschanel ever since I saw her in Almost Famous.  I followed her career and watched her blossom into a leading actress albeit with a quirky side.  So, when she formed She and Him with M. Ward I was all over it.  I bought their first CD the day it came out and loved it.  They followed that with She and Him Vol. 2 and now this is their third album. 

I think that a Christmas album is a good platform for She and Him.  Zooey’s lovely but haunting vocals evoke the feeling of a chilly snowy night while M. Ward reminds us that we can light a fire and drink some warm coco.  The track list includes: 

1. The Christmas Waltz 

2. Christmas Day

3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 

4. I’ll Be Home For Christmas 

5. Christmas Wish 

6. Sleigh Ride 

7. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree 

8. Silver Bells 

9. Baby, It’s Cold Outside 

10. Blue Christmas 

11. Little Saint Nick 

12. The Christmas Song. 

First up is The Christmas Waltz.  The vocals slow the song down but the guitar is very nice.  In fact, I might say that the best part of the song is the guitar and piano break.  Nevertheless, its not a bad opener. 

Then, Christmas Day opens with an up beat guitar but what is up with the diphthong on the ends of the lines of the verses?  Singing 101 you sing “ah” not the “ee” in words like away.  I think it is an attempt to make the song even more up beat than it is but the result did not work. Also, I am not sure the background harmonies complement the song in a good way.

Next, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a stripped down song and I have to say that I liked it.  It was a bit blues-like with the background guitar and the vocals are pure.  The arrangement adds some organ and background harmonies but they are minimal and the song shines.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas is very nostalgic.  It reminds me of those old Christmas song recordings.  I love Deschanel’s vocals in this type of song and this song is very pleasant. 

Then in Christmas Wish, we hear M. Ward for the first time on the record.  This song sounds like it could belong on one of their other albums.  There are nice harmonies and a nice, relaxed rhythm. 

After that, Sleigh Ride begins with an old country beat and then Deschanel chimes in with the verse.  It’s nice and upbeat.  M. Ward sings on this song too.  This version is very cute and it is well executed by the band. 

Track 7 is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.  It’s a rock and roll song but I am disappointed with the way the verses are sung.  I would have preferred vocals that are more classic.  Zooey sings wonderfully but cutting off of the notes just puts a hindrance on just how great this song could be for her, I mean the last note is awesome.  I wish the whole song were like that. 

Next is Silver Bells.  There is light guitar strumming in the background against the vocals.  I like that the vocals seem unprocessed but I would have preferred a slower tempo.  With a fast tempo, the song just seems so short. 

I was looking forward to track nine since Deschanel sang it in Elf.  It’s a good cover but I do not like how Zooey rushes some of the lines and all the flirtiness of the song is missing.  And, that’s a shame because that is what makes the song so likeable.  I think that decision was made to flow with the faster tempo but again it makes the song too short. 

Blue Christmas is a good showcase of Deschanel’s vocals.  This style of singing is better suited for her voice.  In fact, this song is very beautiful.  Also, the background instruments do not overtake the vocals, they are the perfect complement.

 Little Saint Nick busts open with classic She and Him harmonies (its one of the reasons why we like them).  This song is very sweet and a bit childish but it is a great She and Him song. 

The last song of the album is The Christmas Song.  Its also very bluesy with good vocals. It’s a great way to end the album.

Overall, She and Him put their spin on these Christmas tunes.  The second half is stronger than the first but it’s a good album.  It gets 4/5 stars.  My pick for a song to down load would be The Christmas Song. The album can be purchased here.

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