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Track Listings
| 1. My Name Is Trouble |
| 2. Run With You |
| 3. All The Beautiful Girls |
| 4. Sugar Mama |
| 5. She Won't Trade It For Nothing |
| 6. You Were On Fire |
| 7. Blood On My Hands |
| 8. Song From A Tour Bus |
| 9. Strange Weather |
| 10. 101 |
Product Description
Review
Not exactly nose to the grindstone, Dutch/Israeli (and wholly Parisian) chanteuse Keren Ann Zeidel returns with her first solo album in four years. It’s her sixth in all, and fourth in English, and suggests the years haven’t been idled away. 101 marks a shift from the stark balladry of 2007’s eponymous collection, plumping up the sonic cushions and finding a wry lyrical touch – she sounds relaxed, witty and assured, and ready to deliver a great record.
Last time around, Zeidel risked fading into the ranks of female singer-songwriters; the album was strong but preferred to beguile with delicate arrangements and her tremulous voice. On 101, she finds a new niche. In many ways, the album’s a counterpart to John Grant’s Queen of Denmark, sharing its grounding in sturdy 70s pop-rock production and familiar melodies, and in the sense of humour that made Grant’s opus seem such an anachronism. Neither record’s particularly fashionable, but each is timeless, even classic. Basically, there’s a lot of Fleetwood Mac in there.
That kind of radio-friendly sheen is most prominent on My Name Is Trouble, which sashays over wiggly synths and pulsing bass, delivering a straight-to-the-heart hook. It’s also on the lush, mid-paced You Were on Fire, a drifting paean to one of love’s refugees – "I don’t know why you were so threatened by the entire universe," she coos silkily to the poor soul. This is a common thread; her gorgeous voice is a comfort blanket to a succession of troubled men, from the husk of a husband at the heart of the party on the tinkling All the Beautiful Girls, to the flighty lover on the Lennon-haunted Strange Weather.
But it’s not all about life’s damaged flotsam, as Zeidel breaks free on the Squeeze-y Sugar Mama, bringing us a kooky chorus, and annihilates the audience – literally… well, figuratively – on Blood on My Hands. "He pulled out a Winchester 364 / And said, ‘Are you ready to kill?’" she narrates over urgent drum rolls and piano vamps, before there’s "blood on my microphone". It feels like a party piece and is all the more fun for it.
More striking still is the title-track, a countdown from, naturally, 101 – "90 stable isotopes... 83 writers called Nancy... 79 Star Trek episodes... 37 years since birth... One... God" – that closes the album over doomy minor keys. It’s quite compelling. Through this and the likes of My Name Is Trouble and Blood on My Hands, 101 blends the quirky, the audacious and the touching to confident effect, emerging as a fine listen for all seasons.
--Matthew Horton
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4 stars
"Spectacularly produced art-pop. As agile and aesthetic as Talking Heads or Laurie Anderson, My Name Is Trouble is the obviously hooky stand-out with depth to match it's wit."
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Violence is a hook on "101", Keren Ann's first new album in four years, which attempts to recast the singer as a fiercer, more forceful presence.
This works well on opener "My Name Is Trouble", which is teasingly assertive while still hewing to her usual subtlety, but rings false elsewhere, namely on cabaret-style tracks like "Blood on my Hands", which clumsily details the usually sweet singer murdering her audience.
This swerve into gangster imagery is jarring, mainly because it's so inexplicably strained.
It also signals subtle changes that work toward diminishing Keren Ann's appeal, verging on an obviousness that robs the music of its usual refinement.
Even the opener contains intimations of this shift. Its minimalist, quiet dance beat is still an understated touch, but it feels like a submission to commonplace pop strictures for a singer whose best material has always been ethereal and expansive.
It's partially because Keren Ann has made such a resource of restraint that the cooing, gritty femme-fatale act pursued here seems contrary to her strengths.
On recent work like her gorgeous self-titled album, the songs congealed into a seamless, natural product, both complex and effortless at the same time.
The seams of this attempt at reinvention, however, are all too obvious, studded with put-upon sexuality and gangster-moll signifiers. The quiet songs, which occupy her usual métier, by contrast seem limited and at times stifled.
It's a testament to Keren Ann's innate skill that most of this material still works despite its clunkiness. Even "Blood on my Hands," while undeniably cartoonish, is sneakily catchy and smart.
"Run with You", with its multi-tracked vocal crawl and hovering electronics, is ghostly and evocative despite its smallness. Yet all the problems present on "101" seem to collect on the closing title track, a tedious countdown that tosses off informational detritus ("78 revolutions per minute/77 developing nations/76 trombones") beneath a lurching string progression, ending with the breathy mention of "one god".
It's a strained capper for an album that's strangely and unnecessarily high-concept. J. Cataldo
Keren Ann
This works well on opener "My Name Is Trouble", which is teasingly assertive while still hewing to her usual subtlety, but rings false elsewhere, namely on cabaret-style tracks like "Blood on my Hands", which clumsily details the usually sweet singer murdering her audience.
This swerve into gangster imagery is jarring, mainly because it's so inexplicably strained.
It also signals subtle changes that work toward diminishing Keren Ann's appeal, verging on an obviousness that robs the music of its usual refinement.
Even the opener contains intimations of this shift. Its minimalist, quiet dance beat is still an understated touch, but it feels like a submission to commonplace pop strictures for a singer whose best material has always been ethereal and expansive.
It's partially because Keren Ann has made such a resource of restraint that the cooing, gritty femme-fatale act pursued here seems contrary to her strengths.
On recent work like her gorgeous self-titled album, the songs congealed into a seamless, natural product, both complex and effortless at the same time.
The seams of this attempt at reinvention, however, are all too obvious, studded with put-upon sexuality and gangster-moll signifiers. The quiet songs, which occupy her usual métier, by contrast seem limited and at times stifled.
It's a testament to Keren Ann's innate skill that most of this material still works despite its clunkiness. Even "Blood on my Hands," while undeniably cartoonish, is sneakily catchy and smart.
"Run with You", with its multi-tracked vocal crawl and hovering electronics, is ghostly and evocative despite its smallness. Yet all the problems present on "101" seem to collect on the closing title track, a tedious countdown that tosses off informational detritus ("78 revolutions per minute/77 developing nations/76 trombones") beneath a lurching string progression, ending with the breathy mention of "one god".
It's a strained capper for an album that's strangely and unnecessarily high-concept. J. Cataldo
Keren Ann
Format:Audio CD
This is a tough record to pin down. I'm not sure I even like all the songs on here. I think I don't like "My Name is Trouble", I'm more sure I don't like "Sugar Mama". That's two out of ten, so I should give the record 4 out of 5. But. If I don't like songs on an album I'd usually skip them, but I can't here. It is weirdly compelling. These two songs still definitely have their place, it wouldn't sound right starting from "Run with you", "My Name is Trouble" sets the scene. And "Sugar Mama" skips off in a different direction in the middle of the record which makes for a good change of pace and tone.
The production is terrific. It reminds me a lot of Air's soundtrack to the Virgin Suicides. A great record and one, based on "101", that would've sounded a lot better if Keren Ann had produced it. This has a full, lush, soundtrack feel, like for some vaguely 70s folky film noir with a sense of fun. Her voice sounds really rich too, a huge improvement on her previous record, every vowel feels beautifully upholstered, no expense spared. For me her previous records have suffered now and then as she doesn't have the most expressive voice, over an album there can be a sameyness of tone (there's a fine line between understated subtlety and blandness), but she's never sounded better than here. There's nothing bland about "101".
I didn't really get much of a connection with "Keren Ann", her previous album. It just felt flat. Maybe I should go back and listen again. "101" feels very different. It's not often I get to the end of a record and want to go back and listen again straight away. Best record so far this year.
The production is terrific. It reminds me a lot of Air's soundtrack to the Virgin Suicides. A great record and one, based on "101", that would've sounded a lot better if Keren Ann had produced it. This has a full, lush, soundtrack feel, like for some vaguely 70s folky film noir with a sense of fun. Her voice sounds really rich too, a huge improvement on her previous record, every vowel feels beautifully upholstered, no expense spared. For me her previous records have suffered now and then as she doesn't have the most expressive voice, over an album there can be a sameyness of tone (there's a fine line between understated subtlety and blandness), but she's never sounded better than here. There's nothing bland about "101".
I didn't really get much of a connection with "Keren Ann", her previous album. It just felt flat. Maybe I should go back and listen again. "101" feels very different. It's not often I get to the end of a record and want to go back and listen again straight away. Best record so far this year.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I am not a Keren Ann fan. Far from it. I have a few of her previous albums and I seriously dislike them (I have more than one because I bought them all at the same time). She specialises in slow, muted, subdued, barely there whispery music that drives me up the wall with frustration. I just want to shout, "OH GET ON WITH IT AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING", at the CD player. She is not the provider of cheap thrills.
So I was fully expecting to sit 101 out and let it pass me by. Then she blindsided me by releasing an actual pop song. And it wasn't dreary and slow. It had an actual pulse. A faint pulse in comparison with Lady Gaga etc, but definitely a pulse.
The song, My Name Is Trouble, started okay. By the end I thought it was sublime. Just amazing. It was very unexpected to say the least.
I showed the music video to a few people who had never heard of her before. They all loved it. One of them even claimed that they watched it six times in a row.
This is a seriously good song.
Unfortunately I knew that it had to be a fluke, or a song made under orders for the record company. I couldn't imagine she would have any interest in pushing her muse in that direction for further songs. It was highly unlikely that there would be anymore pop songs on the album, and that it would be dull, boring, business as usual singer-songwriter stuff for the remaining tracks.
I was partially right. There are three pop songs (1, 4 and 7) and one rock song (10). To my pleasant surprise the business as usual singer-songwriter songs (2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9) were a bit more bolder, solid and quicker paced than on her previous albums. At least I can listen to them without wanting to shout at her to get on with it.
1. My Name Is Trouble 4:12 (9 out of 10 stars)
A subdued, slinky dance-pop song with a strangely strong melodic feel to it. There's a light, shimmery quality to it. It's not a big in your face pop number, it's too subtle for that, but it doesn't take any effort to quickly recognise how melodic and addictive it is. A great song, and the best I've heard so far in 2011. With the brilliant music video it's a 10 out of 10. Without the music video it doesn't have quite as much impact.
2. Run With You 3:45 (7 out of 10 stars)
Mid-tempo track that feels like it was intended to be much slower. A fuller, more substantial production than I would have expected from her on a song like this. Lyrically it doesn't really go anywhere. I get the impression it's not meant to tell a proper story anyway. Instead it just wants to describe an emotional state.
3. All The Beautiful Girls 5:02 (6 out of 10 stars)
Restrained, slower paced track. Strong lyrically but musically a bit bland and indifferent. Slightly insipid, but not half as annoying as her previous songs in this style from her other albums. Musically a generic, slightly jazzy singer-songwriter shuffle.
4. Sugar Mama 3:07 (7 out of 10 stars)
Fun pop song with silly(ish) lyrics. Very enjoyable.
5. She Won't Trade It For Nothing 2:50 (4 out of 10 stars)
This is more like what I would expect from her. Lyrics are okay but the music doesn't do anything interesting. Thankfully it's short. It doesn't have much of a climax.
6. You Were On Fire 3:55 (6 out of 10 stars)
Okay mid-tempo track that builds into a nicely orchestrated big sound during the second half. Cellos, or violins, are the dominant instrument that carries the melody. Nothing to get excited about as it's tasteful if a little bland. The lyrics are nothing special.
7. Blood On My Hands 3:44 (8 out of 10 stars)
The third, and final, pop song on the album. Good lyrics full of violent imagery. Very enjoyable and the second best song on the album after the opening track.
8. Song From A Tour Bus 3:39 (3 out of 10 stars)
Lyrically alright, if not particularly inspired. Musically it's a slow, generic drag. It's not bad; it's just not interesting or pretty enough sounding to be anything more than filler. A bit of a non-song. At least it's not too long.
9. Strange Weather 5:27 (4 out of 10 stars)
Another fairly slow melancholy track. It's stronger than the previous song, but that's about all I can say for it. Lyrically and musically unimpressive. It builds up to a big, loud moment close to the end which is quite nice. Not a bad song, though far from great.
10. 101 5:29 (6 out of 10 stars)
A mid-tempo, apocalyptic sounding countdown. The track works well enough. Lyrically it strikes me as a copout from having to write a proper set of words, as it's just a random list of things. It hasn't become irritating on repeat listens, as I suspected it would when I first heard it. I can't get too excited by it, and I don't think it's a highlight of the album which I assume most people do.
It is not a great, flawless album by any stretch of the imagination. It holds together well enough, but I think most people will want to break it up and cherry-pick the parts they like while dumping the rest (a true album for the iPod generation). I would expect people who come to it from a pop direction will call it boring, while people who are far too indulgent of singer-songwriters will over-rate it (if they can stomach the pop songs on it).
The person who watched My Name Is Trouble six times was disappointed by the lack of similar songs in that vein, and consequently didn't much care for it as an album. I'm pretty certain they used the words "bland" and "boring".
To me it was mixed bag. Overall I would say it was better than average. I keep returning to it so it must have something going for it.
I like to make EP playlists out of some albums on my iPod. Tracks 1, 2, 4 and 7 made the cut.
7 out of 10
So I was fully expecting to sit 101 out and let it pass me by. Then she blindsided me by releasing an actual pop song. And it wasn't dreary and slow. It had an actual pulse. A faint pulse in comparison with Lady Gaga etc, but definitely a pulse.
The song, My Name Is Trouble, started okay. By the end I thought it was sublime. Just amazing. It was very unexpected to say the least.
I showed the music video to a few people who had never heard of her before. They all loved it. One of them even claimed that they watched it six times in a row.
This is a seriously good song.
Unfortunately I knew that it had to be a fluke, or a song made under orders for the record company. I couldn't imagine she would have any interest in pushing her muse in that direction for further songs. It was highly unlikely that there would be anymore pop songs on the album, and that it would be dull, boring, business as usual singer-songwriter stuff for the remaining tracks.
I was partially right. There are three pop songs (1, 4 and 7) and one rock song (10). To my pleasant surprise the business as usual singer-songwriter songs (2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9) were a bit more bolder, solid and quicker paced than on her previous albums. At least I can listen to them without wanting to shout at her to get on with it.
1. My Name Is Trouble 4:12 (9 out of 10 stars)
A subdued, slinky dance-pop song with a strangely strong melodic feel to it. There's a light, shimmery quality to it. It's not a big in your face pop number, it's too subtle for that, but it doesn't take any effort to quickly recognise how melodic and addictive it is. A great song, and the best I've heard so far in 2011. With the brilliant music video it's a 10 out of 10. Without the music video it doesn't have quite as much impact.
2. Run With You 3:45 (7 out of 10 stars)
Mid-tempo track that feels like it was intended to be much slower. A fuller, more substantial production than I would have expected from her on a song like this. Lyrically it doesn't really go anywhere. I get the impression it's not meant to tell a proper story anyway. Instead it just wants to describe an emotional state.
3. All The Beautiful Girls 5:02 (6 out of 10 stars)
Restrained, slower paced track. Strong lyrically but musically a bit bland and indifferent. Slightly insipid, but not half as annoying as her previous songs in this style from her other albums. Musically a generic, slightly jazzy singer-songwriter shuffle.
4. Sugar Mama 3:07 (7 out of 10 stars)
Fun pop song with silly(ish) lyrics. Very enjoyable.
5. She Won't Trade It For Nothing 2:50 (4 out of 10 stars)
This is more like what I would expect from her. Lyrics are okay but the music doesn't do anything interesting. Thankfully it's short. It doesn't have much of a climax.
6. You Were On Fire 3:55 (6 out of 10 stars)
Okay mid-tempo track that builds into a nicely orchestrated big sound during the second half. Cellos, or violins, are the dominant instrument that carries the melody. Nothing to get excited about as it's tasteful if a little bland. The lyrics are nothing special.
7. Blood On My Hands 3:44 (8 out of 10 stars)
The third, and final, pop song on the album. Good lyrics full of violent imagery. Very enjoyable and the second best song on the album after the opening track.
8. Song From A Tour Bus 3:39 (3 out of 10 stars)
Lyrically alright, if not particularly inspired. Musically it's a slow, generic drag. It's not bad; it's just not interesting or pretty enough sounding to be anything more than filler. A bit of a non-song. At least it's not too long.
9. Strange Weather 5:27 (4 out of 10 stars)
Another fairly slow melancholy track. It's stronger than the previous song, but that's about all I can say for it. Lyrically and musically unimpressive. It builds up to a big, loud moment close to the end which is quite nice. Not a bad song, though far from great.
10. 101 5:29 (6 out of 10 stars)
A mid-tempo, apocalyptic sounding countdown. The track works well enough. Lyrically it strikes me as a copout from having to write a proper set of words, as it's just a random list of things. It hasn't become irritating on repeat listens, as I suspected it would when I first heard it. I can't get too excited by it, and I don't think it's a highlight of the album which I assume most people do.
It is not a great, flawless album by any stretch of the imagination. It holds together well enough, but I think most people will want to break it up and cherry-pick the parts they like while dumping the rest (a true album for the iPod generation). I would expect people who come to it from a pop direction will call it boring, while people who are far too indulgent of singer-songwriters will over-rate it (if they can stomach the pop songs on it).
The person who watched My Name Is Trouble six times was disappointed by the lack of similar songs in that vein, and consequently didn't much care for it as an album. I'm pretty certain they used the words "bland" and "boring".
To me it was mixed bag. Overall I would say it was better than average. I keep returning to it so it must have something going for it.
I like to make EP playlists out of some albums on my iPod. Tracks 1, 2, 4 and 7 made the cut.
7 out of 10
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