Thank you. Review to follow once I've collected myself- could be a few days.

Annie like Granville.

Come on guys,give us a review


Track-by-track,please.

The Q thought the album better be titled "Bore".

I haven't heard it myself and can't wait for Ian's review...

Moonbeam,I don't understand what you're trying to say.What's with the shocked(?) face and the crying face? I hope those are tears of joy...lol...

I read an okay review of the CD is Entertainment weekly. They gave it a "B-"

Typically, they are pretty right on in their reviews but...I still plan on picking up the cd...

Come on Moonbeam, where's YOUR review???

OK, now that my jaw has been lifted off the floor, let me say that I LOVE this album. It is incredibly intimate, pained and soulful. Annie's voice is capable of incredible expression, even at 48. The music is intimate and refined, not unlike "Vespertine" and "Heathen." I listened to it with my bro while we were driving around Salt Lake City last night, and I was in awe.

"A Thousand Beautiful Things"- the opening track is an ornate, intimate reminder of why life is worth living. I think it would make a great lead off single. It sounds so personal that it seems like Annie is speaking directly to you. The lush guitar and soft synth, mixed with Annie's haunting vocal delivery make it an instant classic.

"Pavement Cracks"- my new favorite Annie Lennox song (solo). I downloaded this from MSN (for a price) months ago, and listened to it constantly. It starts off with a slow mixture of mournful and triumphant vocal delivery, only to usher in some "Little Bird"-like funk. The song builds beautiful and ends with among the most soulful vocal improvisation that I've ever heard.

"The Hurting Time"- this is an odd song for Annie Lennox, unlike anything she's done before. It's a smooth electronic jazz piece that is more self-reflective than anything, as she reveals the sources of her despair.

"Honestly"- definitely about her divorce, Annie takes and gives blame in this song, with the two coinciding vocal tracks seemingly telling both sides of her story. It's an interesting method of delivery and she nails it.

"Wonderful"- one of my favorites, this song was played at the Toronto show I attended in April. It's smooth in parts, over-the-top emotional in others. This is one of the best examples of the flow of the album, as Annie sounds triumphant despite her angst, only to grow bitter again in the next song.

"Bitter Pill" is an uptempo, very danceable, soulful and angry track that would make a great single. She's strident in her bitterness, cool and collected in her anger. An instant classic.

"Loneliness" is a little misleading, in that it starts off soulful and slow, only to grow gradually and soar at the end. She captures the essence of the emotion well, and the song fades into the plaintive "The Saddest Song I've Got."

"The Saddest Song I've Got" is an ethereal, dejected song of resignation. She takes responsibility for the pain she has caused, giving a new angle on what it means to be brokenhearted- bearing the guilt and shame of her shortcomings.

"Erased" is a fierce, fierce, groovy attack on her former beau, with the trademark Lennox ice. The song builds in its fury as it bares its fangs.

"Twisted" kinds of sums up the album, with Annie's convoluted emotions taking the forefront. It is elegant and quirky at the same time, again both taking and extending the blame.

"Oh God (A Prayer)" features some of the most intimate vocal delivery I've ever heard. This is why Annie Lennox is my favorite vocalist- loosely following a melody but straying often in her brokenness. She sounds completely broken, completely destitute, singing "if someone needed a helping hand, it must be now, it must be now." She confesses that she has messed up everything in her life and sounds so desperate that she doesn't know how to pray. Perhaps the most haunting song I've ever heard.

The album is scarily good, scarily emotional and intimate. It is Annie's exorcism and showcases all of her quirks, going from triumphant ("Wonderful") to bitter ("Bitter Pill"), remembering ("The Saddest Song I've Got") to blocking out the memory ("Erased"), without batting an eyelash. It has no commercial aspirations.

It's too early to say how well I like the album in comparison to her other efforts, but I get the feeling this will be the album of 2003 for me.

I found a site yesterday where you could listen to the ENTIRE album streamed. I don't remember where or how, but I found it - it was an Annie Lennox site, so, get up and go searching.

I thought it was good, but like ALL Annie albums, I believe the record will grow on me over time, it's not an instant sell... it's more of a sleeper record.

Moonbeam's review... Well done!

I've been waiting for your view on this... and I concur.

Cool! I'm gonna check out this CD.Thanks for the review,Moonbeam!

Several tracks were played today on the local public radio station--Annie's got an amazing voice. I love the new CD!

I just started listening to it (only 3 tracks in) and while her vocals are better than ever and her writing is quite good, the music (so far) isn't the best. So far, no "Walking On Broken Glass" like beats although "Pavement Cracks" moves nicely along to a climax were Annie starts belting it out! I just had to comment since it was on the top of the list and I was listening to it right now.

She is also making the publicity rounds this week:

06/12/03
11:35 pm ET CBS The Late Show With David Letterman Annie Lennox

06/13/03
07:00 am ET NBC Today Annie Lennox

06/13/03
11:00 am ET ABC The View Annie Lennox

Wow, Ian.
GOOD review.
Let's start a mucis mag.

OngBotty said:

Sounds like a plan to me!

moonbeam, thanks for the amazing review!!! i am DROOLING. 2 more days until i can cop this album. i guess i've been waiting...what, 11 years? i can probably wait another 2 days...

i SO need annie in my life right now

Hi Ian ~ An amazing, emotionallly and intellectually brilliant review as you always bring to us. Thank you so much. A week ago, I heard a song she and David Bowie performed together ~ UNDER PRESSURE. It had me on the floor in stunned emotional rawness ~ her voice with his was one of the most powerful sounds I've heard in a while. The music and lyrics have been playing through my mind since the first hearing of it.
This CD ~ Bare~ just so exquisitely, painfully beautiful. Maybe a reflection of my current personal situation but so many of the songs touch that raw chord of emotion we try so hard to avoid. The way she wraps her voice around it ~ it is almost too much (like on The Saddest Song I've Got) but staying with it is cathartic and healing. I haven't stopped listening ~ even took half a day off work yesterday and played it non~stop.
Thanks again for the review and please give a big hug to TRON ~ both of you be safe and have fun!!!

I'm still collecting my thoughts. 7 listens in, I'm stunned. It's almost numbingly painful and sad. I knew she had it in her based on countless songs in the past. But a whole album of misery? I had no idea she was in such desperate shape. It must be the divorce and a mid-life crisis. More to come...

bratchildsfriend said:

You said it! It's beyond what words can describe. Glad to see you are enjoying it too!

And only a mediocre 3 star review from Rollingstone. They have their heads up their collective ass.

TRON said:

I know- I read it last night. And they criticize "Wonderful," one of the best tracks.

I found the lyrics sad, yes, but the music didn't always reflect that. The music was a little more hopeful, and even more joyous at times. Wonderful was downright Heavenly! I really like about half of the album, especially songs 1, 4, 5, and 6. It'll take me a while to get used to the rest, but I think I'll end up really liking it- especially once I take it off the stereo here at the store and listen to it in the car!

TRON said:

well, judging from whom rolling stone deems important in music, this comes as no surprise to me. once upon a time rolling stone told prince they would not offer him another cover because he was irrelevant in the music world, meanwhile they were giving spice girls cover shots! the days of rolling stone being on the pulse of music are long gone...they are now just pr firms for pop culture.

Hey Moonbeam!!! I've been waiting for your official review on this album. I would've bought it Annie-way..LOL get it? ok that was bad!
I'll definitely be picking this one up. Hopefully today. By the way, I saw a dvd in the store the other day with Annie on the front. She was covered in mud, sorry can't remember the name of it though. But I'm sure you've seen it. So should I get that as well? It looked interesting and was boasting that this was a very rare film... I believe it gave her really good reviews on the back as well. (Well obviously if she's on the cover :LOL:) Thanks!

Chico319 said:

Good to see you, Chico! I actually don't know about the DVD, unless it's an early release of the "Live in Toronto" DVD that's supposed to come out later this month. If so, look out for my brother and I in it.

No. It's not a concert it's a movie. I'll pick it up, scan the cover and email it to you! :LOL: I'll get you the title, and let you know! Thanks. I'll look for that concert too. Where in it are you and your brother?

Found it. Here's the link >
http://www.towerrecords.c...&from1=A31 "Birth Of A Golem"

Chico319 said:

Wow! I've never seen that before. Her 400-page biography only mentions it in a footnote, saying she contributed to the film. Rare!

I think this is a great album, too. Production wise, it's tons better than "Medusa," which I thought had an overly slick sound to it. It's more in line with the last Eurythmics' album, "Peace."

I think her songwriting has continued to grow and mature. The melodies are really beautiful, and the songs' structure and nice. She certainly knows how to put things together.

My one question is where will this album and singles get played? Adult oriented stations? Radio has changed so much in the last seven years. I really don't think anything off this album will reach the pop charts. I think she's in the same boat as Prince.

TRON said:

Q mag only gave it two stars! But(t) fuck reviews! It's only one person's opinion.